


It gets better

by attakaikukkii, LadygoldLoZ



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Can Titus just get a death sentence already?, Death Threats, Described by two people who are neither attorneys nor japanese, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/F, F/M, Hajime Hinata has anxiety, Hajime is a good man, Hinata Hajime & Kamukura Izuru Are Siblings, Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Inspired by Roleplay/Roleplay Adaptation, Intense monopoly, It Gets Better, It's not all bad, Kamukura Izuru Has Feelings, Kinda, M/M, Multi, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Other, Past Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Physical Abuse, Please heed these tags, Rape Recovery, Rape/Non-con Elements, Supportive Hajime Hinata, Swearing, The hot mess that is the japanese law system, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Titus Miller is the scum of the earth, Titus makes me nauseous, Trial (Real one not a class trial), Underage Rape/Non-con, seriously, this is not a nice fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-01
Updated: 2019-07-17
Packaged: 2019-09-05 07:23:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 17
Words: 114,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16806103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/attakaikukkii/pseuds/attakaikukkii, https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadygoldLoZ/pseuds/LadygoldLoZ
Summary: Hajime Hinata is a barista working at Hope's Coffee after he dropped out of law school. His daily life is dull and uneventful until one day when his usual routine is interrupted by two customers.Uncharacteristic as it is, Hajime is gripped with worry when one of the men, later introduced as Nagito Komaeda, comes up to order drinks. Komaeda does not look well, and his boyfriend is acting very odd for someone supposedly in love.Hajime ends up making what's probably the best decision in his life, and when he runs into Nagito again at 4 am the following morning, woozy and bruised and looking even worse than at the café, he ends up much more entangled in Nagito's story than he'd ever imagined.---We are not trying to romanticize abuse. This is not meant to be an abuse fic, but one focused on recovery, and we at no point in the fic aim to sexualize or fetishize this.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Everything written is based off of our own experiences, listening to interviews of survivors of domestic abuse and research in general of similar cases.  
> If you, however, are a survivor of something similar and feel like we've overstepped or misrepresented something poorly, please tell us how to improve it, we don't mean to offend anyone.

It was a pretty normal Friday afternoon at HOPE's coffee in Toyohashi. The café wasn't exactly popular but a few students on dates did occupy a few seats here and there in the building. Behind the counter stood Hajime Hinata, who'd been working at the shop for a solid three years and had by now gotten a position as a lower manager. It was far from his dream job, or following in his sister's footsteps, but it was better than being a neet living in his parents' basement. Out on the floor cleaning tables he had his best friend Kazuichi Souda wiping tables and manning the front he had Chiaki Nanami, another of his very good friends. As said, it was a normal afternoon with no special occurrences other than running out of Catuai beans until they showed up. A rather odd couple. A rough looking, white-haired man and a quite handsome foreigner who spoke in broken Japanese.

Nagito trailed behind Titus, as he pushed the door to the small establishment open with more force than necessary. That was the way Titus did most things, not that Nagito would ever dare comment. Titus stalked up to the counter, ordering for the both of them without batting an eye. Nagito only hoped he remembered not to get something overly sweet for him, as him feeling sick would only make this good day worse. A brown haired barista with sparkling eyes took their order, and Nagito almost thought he was cute. The thought of Titus's cold tone and jealous demeanor crushed any remnants of that thought though, and Nagito settled for staring down at the ground instead.

The two had caught the attention of Hajime who'd usually occupy himself with the coffee so he wouldn't have to interact too much with customers but these two were something different. As Chiaki gave Hajime the two orders to prepare the gossip began.

"So, do you think they're gay? Why else would they come to a coffee shop like this? They look like a really mismatched couple..."

Chiaki studied them as they made their way to a table in the back, away from other customers.

"The guy in the back looked... off, somehow. I dunno, kinda tired and rugged I guess. Maybe the other took him here to cheer him up?" She speculated off-handedly, twirling a lock of pink hair as she spoke.

"I wanna snoop. Should we bring the coffee to them instead of calling them up?" Hajime asked, studying the shorter man a bit closer. That's when Souda came up to them.

"Ya know, seeing a gay couple out like this makes me happy of how far society's come," Souda said, and leaned over the counter. Chiaki nodded in agreement, putting the final touches on the large cappuccino she was brewing for the American and putting it on the tray along with the other's drink.

"Here, you should bring it then." She suggested, holding the tray towards Hajime.

"I mean look at the tiny guy's wrists. They must've had a pretty hot night for him to be looking like that now." Souda snickered, eyeing the two.

"Wait, what? Chiaki, think you can hold off on their drinks for a few minutes I wanna know more first, bruises you say?" Hajime asked, not sure whether to be intrigued or worried.

"Sure, go clean the tables over there," Souda said and exchanged his wash rags and the cleaning spray with the tray of coffee.

Meanwhile Nagito was fighting down a spell of nausea as Titus talked on about some topic in that harsh voice of his. His voice had a certain dull heaviness to it, enhanced by his american accent. It was part of what had drawn Nagito to him, what seemed like an eternity ago. He pulled down on the sleeves of his Green hoodie, hiding the Purple bruises on his wrists to the best of his ability. Titus would be angry if someone saw and started to ask questions.

"Honestly, Nagito you're not listening to me are you? Please, do tell me what's so important to think about that you can't even enjoy when I'm taking you out. You know you're such a spoiled bitch sometimes, you know that right?" Titus said in a sickeningly sweet voice as he noticed Nagito's lack of attention to his story.

Meanwhile Hajime was approaching, armed with a wet rag and Ajax.

Nagito looked up immediately, meeting Titus's gaze hesitantly. "No...I'm listening, forgive me." He answered hesitantly, sensing Titus's lack of patience. He didn't think Titus would touch him while they were in public but... There was always afterwards. He shuddered, doing his best to surpress it but failing.

"What's wrong? Are you cold? Is this place not good enough for you?" He hummed and pulled up his phone." _You know, it's pretty rude to wear your jacket inside, people will stare._ " he pointed out nonchalantly in English as Hajime came in. Japanese people weren't very good at English, especially not coffeeshop workers. " _You should stop being a complete waste of space and learn to put on makeup. You look horrible and honestly I'm ashamed to even have you in the same room as me, you're lucky I keep someone as pathetic as you around. Honestly it's like your body's the only valuable quality in you and last night barely your body cut it._ "

" _I can't take it off... People might notice,_ " Nagito protested weakly, with stuttering English. He dimly noticed someone coming up behind him, but the majority of his attention was firmly on Titus. " _I'll take it off if you want,_ " he amended quickly, not wanting Titus to think he was talking back.

" _No, don't bother. I said I recommended learning how to do makeup. Maybe you'd actually look presentable to the public then. That is, after you've done something about that mane of yours. I should just do you a huge favor and cut it off while you're asleep."_ he sighed, not looking up from his phone. 

Hajime's understanding of English was horrible, and he could barely make out anything in that thick American accent. But the white-haired man was a bit more understandable and what he could make out just arose further suspicions.

Nagito looked back down, dejectedly. " _Please don't... I'll learn to apply makeup, I promise. You won't need to be ashamed of me anymore. Don't touch my hair, please Titus._ "

"Excuse me, how is our orders coming along?" Titus ignored him and called out to Hajime who'd just finished wiping off the table behind the couple. 

"Oh, oh me? It seems like they're still being made since our beans have to be groud properly to ensure you the best quality coffee. thank you for coming to HOPE coffee." Hajime said according to script and went to clean another table.

  
" _You see how polite that guy was? Why can't you be more like him, Nagito? Maybe I should take him home instead of you. You're so easily replaceable. Maybe we'd have a functional relationship. But then again you've completely ruined me. It's your fault that I can't leave you because A) you're so eccentric and insane that even if you went and killed yourself I'd still think you were around_ _because just your existence drives me crazy. Perhaps that was your goal all along. To drive me mad too. Crazy bastard."_ He said with a half-sincere smile. " _You've really driven me mad Nagito._ Your love makes me crazy." 

The intensity of Titus's gaze made Nagito want to squirm, cry and laugh all at once. He pushed down the urge, though his eyes were still teary and he reached up to wipe them. " _I'm... I'm so incredibly thankful,_ " He said softly, smiling for the first time that day. " _Even though I'm worthless trash you- even if it's just out of pity-_ I'm sorry for being crazy and worthless Titus. I love you so much." His English failed him towards The end, and Nagito finished the sentence in Japanese. He allowed himself to indulge in the pleasant atmosphere for a moment, Titus having gone back to looking at his phone. Nagito could escape his steely gaze for a few moments.

"I'll forgive you this once." he smiled. "Now go check on our coffee?" he asked sweetly and took up his phone again. Hajime had heard enough to get worried and quickly wiped down the last table and speedwalked over to the counter. 

Nagito nodded quickly, almost pushing over his chair in his haste. He made his way over toward the counter. To his dismay, it was the brown-haired barista who met him on the other side, the same one Titus had called cute. Once again, as he was met by a smile, Nagito didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He swallowed to compose himself, before calmly asking about their drinks.

"Yeah, they're done soon, -I'm sorry if I'm imposing but are you okay?" he asked, Chiaki getting their drinks serveable again.

Nagito blinked at him. He felt... strange, suddenly. A spark of irritation, from somewhere deep inside him. Who was this- this stranger to worry about him? Then, suddenly, the realization that Titus would be angry if he caused a scene hit him, and Nagito paled. 

"I- I am perfectly fine, thank you for asking." He answered stiffly, recalling Titus' prompt about politeness.

"Okay, if you say so just- I don't know where you got your bruises but you don't look okay and if something's going on just tell us and we can call the police for you- and if you need to talk, I'll listen, okay? You probably don't want to hear this from an underpaid barista but you're not worthless, no one is." He rambled quietly as he put forth their drinks. "If you need help I'll do whatever I can, okay? Just stay safe and have a good day?"   
For every word that left Hajime's mouth, he felt like shrinking further into the ground. Dammit, why couldn't he ever just shut up?

Nagito looked blankly down at the counter, feeling the barista's words wash over him. The annoyance hadn't faded altogether, but he couldn't quite bring himself to snap at the man, feigning defiance. There was something so inherently different to the barista's gentle words, a harsh contrast to Titus' sharpness. The discrepancy made Nagito's skin crawl, though he didn't quite know why. He took their drinks, happy for the distraction the heavy tray provided. 

"That is very kind of you, but I am fine. Thank you." He said, turning toward Titus' and his table and already feeling dread coiling in his stomach.

\---

" _Well,_ _that took a long time. Did you go get married and dumped again once they realized just how nuts you are?_ " Titus asked with a chuckle. " _Sit down Nagito, I'm on a date here with the luckiest guy in the world_."

" _T-they weren't quite done with the drinks yet. Sorry," he offered timidly, sitting down opposite Titus who grabbed his coffee immediately. Nagito hesitantly picked up his own, studying the porcelain cup with The word "Hope" emblazoned in black ink. He took a sip- not overly sweet though more than he'd prefer. Still, this was alright, and he attempted a smile to show Titus he'd enjoyed the drink. I'm in a good mood today so you're forgiven_ ," he said, smiling back at him over his cup. 

_"You'll have to pay though."_ he shrugged. Nagito nodded, happy Titus wasn't upset. He'd been expecting to pay in the first place, so he couldn't bring himself to be upset about that. He kept sipping his coffee, enjoying the peace for once.  The quiet bustle of the café along with Titus's pressing down buttons on his phone made for good ambiance, and Nagito could almost pretend things were normal, despite the dull throb of his bruises. He lifted the cup to his lips again, ignoring the warm Coffee almost burning his throat. He wanted more of the calmness.

\---

"I should've let you handle that, God I wish you'd just shut me up." Hajime sighed, leaning his head on the espresso machine and complained to Chiaki. Chiaki shot him a worried look. "The way that guy was acting- I don't think he would have reacted differently to anyone." She said, glancing at the pair. "And besides, it was your idea to offer aid in the first place, Hajime. That's admirable, I think." She rubbed her eye, giving Hajime a soft smile. "Maybe he'll open up if you try again." 

"I don't want to be pushy and get him in trouble with that guy though." he sighed. "Do we have more of the hazelnut syrup or do I have to order more?" 

"Think there should be another bottle over there-" Chiaki said, gesturing toward a shelf. "And yeah, perhaps just observing would be best for now. Who knows, maybe having a third party there would make the situation a bit better for him." A customer caught her attention, and she whirled around, smiling brightly as she prepared to take their order.

"Souda, do we still have those customer surveys from last campaign?" Hajime asked with a sigh and began brewing the coffee for the new customers.

Souda glanced upward from the coffee he'd been brewing. "Think so, yeah. They should still be in storage." When his eyes met Hajime's, he gave him a worried look. "Look man, be careful alright? And lemme know if you want backup!" 

"Yeah. I just hope this is the right thing to do. Or is it? Dammit, why don't we have those policies like bars?" he complained and finished a drink and put it forward to the customers with a smile.

"You're a good person, Soul Friend." Souda reassured, coming up behind him and clapping Hajime's shoulder.

The person who Hajime had been serving took his Coffee and walked out the door, meaning that the line was now empty. Souda sent the strange couple a glance, they were almost done with their drinks. "If you're gonna do something, you better hurry" He noted. "Chiaki and I got the customers covered if someone new enters."

"Thank you." Hajime gave Souda a grateful smile, took a deep breath and went up to the couple with the surveys.

"Hello, sorry for interrupting, but would you mind participating in a survey so that we can improve HOPE coffee for our customers to get the best experience possible?" He asked the two with a pleasant smile. Titus eyed the man closely and put down his coffee.

"I don't see how it could be improved, maybe if you came home with me?" he flirted. 

The words sent a stab of despair, anger, and jealousy through Nagito, all at once. His mixed emotions made his head spin slightly, but he didn't dare lower his gaze. Instead, he studied the fabric of the barista's white T-shirt, hoping he would leave soon.

"Sir, I don't think that would be appropriate, besides I'm not interested." he smiled, _*especially not with how you treat your boyfriend.*_ he thought. shivers running down his spine but he braced himself.

"So, if you two wouldn't mind filling in these surveys and hand them in before you leave I'd be eternally grateful." Titus gave a shrug of approval, so Nagito knew it was okay. He nodded carefully, and the barista handed him a piece of paper and a cheap ballpoint pen. Nagito clicked the pen and turned the paper over. As he read what it said, however he quickly moved it behind his Coffee cup, as to shield it from Titus' view.

"I hope you had a pleasant stay here," Hajime said, bowed and went back to the counter, heart squeezing hard in his chest. He wished that the white-haired guy would just realize what he was worth and leave that piece of shit. Who flirts with baristas with their partner present? 

\---

Nagito's grip on the pen trembled, and his breathing was shallow. Titus was right there, across from him. What if he decided to read his application before they handed them in? What if he came around and read over his shoulder? So many things could go wrong, all because a stupid (compassionate) barista had decided to intervene. He pushed the pen down on the paper, but couldn't quite bring himself to write the words. The world felt like it was spinning around him, all background noise intensified. Any customer could read over his shoulder and alert Titus. Nagito swallowed, trying to calm himself down.

\---

"So that went to hell. That guy probably hates my guts now because his idiot boyfriend decided to flirt with me. Like I'd want to come home with him with his boyfriend looking like a punching bag." Hajime muttered as he returned.

"Really? Wow, what kind of asshole does that?!" Souda answered, baffled. Chiaki nodded in agreement, sending a glare toward the table. "It's clear to see he's not alright." She noted. "Did you at least get the note to him?" 

"I did. I just hope he takes this chance. I don't think there's anything else we can do." he said and decided to just go back to work and pray it worked out.

\---

Nagito quickly folded the paper in two, having finished his answer already. He'd filled out the entire survey just in case, but what made his hear race was what had been written on the note before. The barista had left Nagito his phone number and address, as well as the address to the store. He'd offered to call the Police for Nagito, he just needed to call. He'd also encouraged Nagito to answer with his own contact info, but he hadn't dared. Nagito didn't want to put the barista in any unnecessary danger. The only thing he'd written pertaining to this was a small "Thank you." at the bottom of the page. That was all he could bring himself to do.

He grasped the paper in one hand, looking up at Titus who'd barely touched his. "Should I go pay and hand these in?" He asked, gesturing to the piece of paper. 

"I think that's the first useful thing you've done today, please do." Titus grinned and handed him his survey too. "Good boy, Nagito." 

Nagito shivered slightly, smiling weakly before taking the papers and pushing in his chair. He walked toward the counter, feeling the weight of the papers in his hand and Titus' stare against his back. The three baristas had been talking but dispersed as Nagito approached, leaving the brunette to accept his payment. He handed over the surveys, refusing to meet the other's eyes.

"Please don't be afraid to seek help. We're here to help however we can," Hajime murmured with a concerned smile as he accepted his payment.

Nagito nodded softly in response. He lifted his eyes slightly, noticing for the first time that the barista's nameplate read "Hajime Hinata." A Nice name, he thought as he punched in the Code for his card. He accepted the receipt and threw Hinata one last shy glance before turning back to their table where Titus still waited. Hajime's concerned stare followed him all the way there.

"Finished paying? Let's go and you can show me more of the city," he said and got out of his seat, laying his hand around Nagito, sticking his hand in his back pocket as they walked out of the café.

"Please come again!" Hajime called out to the couple according to protocol, mainly to the pale man. Titus's grip on his waist was uncomfortably tight, but Nagito didn't mind too much. Maybe the bad luck prevented something from happening to Hinata. He hoped so. Thoughts like that were the only things keeping him from ending everything.

"So what did a skank like you do for him to shy away?" Titus asked, groping his ass as they walked down the streets of Toyohashi.

"W-what? What do you mean, Titus?" Nagito asked timidly. He'd seen the disgust in Hajime's eyes when he looked at Titus. Clearly, Hajime understood that Titus was beneath him. The thought sent a shiver of excitement through Nagito. He knew something Titus didn't, however small.

"Just so you know I will leave you if I get a better offer. Or maybe I'll keep you around out of pity. You do make a good toy." Titus sneered. "So you better not get jealous and drive away more people."

"I... I would never. I'm sorry Titus." Nagito said hurriedly, feeling dread wash over him. Titus's grip around him was commanding, possessive. He'd feel sick if he wasn't so sure he deserved this. Still, imagining Hinata in his situation made his stomach churn. He's infinitely glad they left before anything can happen at HOPE's coffee.

"Good boy. I've trained you well." Titus smiled to himself, and they continued their "date" well into the night when horrible turned worse.  Not even whatever drugs Titus had given him could make the fear Nagito felt when Titus leaned over to kiss him completely dissipate. He breathed deeply, making his body listless as he tried his best to endure it without squirming. Titus said he was better when he didn't move, too squirmy and loud when he was completely lucid. Who was Nagito to question him?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huge trigger warning!  
> This has not been properly read through. It is 2 am and we are tired.  
> Please mind the tags

The next morning Hajime opened up earlier as he'd gotten the dough ready the previous night so he just had to bake out the pastries and shove them in the oven. What he didn't expect though was for the white-haired man from yesterday to stumble in at 4 am with bloodshot eyes and new fresh cuts and bruises

Nagito's head hurt, his throat was parched and the new bruises on his body ached. His whole body felt like it was on fire, his stomach curled in on itself and he was pretty sure that he wouldn't notice if he cut off his hands- he had no feeling in his hands or feet. He barely even recognized the café, just knew that he was scared, scared and anxious and he wanted more of the calm he'd felt yesterday at the coffee shop. He recognized the barista from behind the counter as he stumbled inside, and relief filled him instantly. He wanted to explain himself, but all that came out was a hoarse "Help... Please..." before he collapsed on the cold floor.

Hajime was instantly on his toes, scooping up and leading the man to a couch, laying him down, closing the store again and put on water for tea and sat down by him.  
"What happened? You look like you've been hit by a train- how can I help?"

His touch was gentle as he helped Nagito lay down, voice soft and gaze pitying and compassionate. It all made Nagito want to sob with relief. Hinata was too good to be anywhere near someone like him.  
"I... I just... I don't know why I came here." Nagito explained confusedly, his muddled mind making it difficult to gather his thoughts. Everything was just hot and messy and incomprehensible. It was like he was in this bubble, hot and cold at the same time. He felt like throwing up. His stomach lurched as he gagged, terrified that he'd throw up over the nice barista man. He thankfully didn't, he just shivered in cold sweat.

Hajime placed a careful hand on his back as he crouched down by him. "Could you tell me what happened? Did that man hurt you?"

"I... I shouldn't be here. He'll be angry. Why did I come here?" Nagito slurred. "You... You shouldn't worry about someone like me. You're a *good* person Hinata." He said it like someone would describe hair-color or ethnicity, not a trait.

"What's your name?" he asked, gently turning the man to recovery position and propped up his head with a pillow.

"Komaeda... Komaeda Nagito. I'm- ah, that's me. I'm just a useless dog though, so you shouldn't bother remembering it." He said, his mouth feeling like sandpaper before he gagged again.

"I'll be right back, I'm just going to go grab you a bucket," Hajime said, stroking the hair out of Nagito's hot face. He felt a sudden wave of relief as Hinata stepped away from his table, and flung his arm over the side of the couch, just to get to feel that cold floor again. His head felt heavy, like it wanted to sink through the couch into the center of the earth. He gagged again, just wanting to squish his head to pieces to make it stop. Everything tingled and he felt gross and his clothes stuck to his body and if he really focused he was sure he could still feel-  
Nagito threw up.

Hajime soon returned with a bucket, panic striking him at the sight of the battered man lying in his own vomit. He immediately dropped the bucket and hurried over to his side, lifting him up again and trying to prop him up, just to get him out of it and wiped him off with his apron. That was going in the wash immediately after this.  
"Komaeda, could you tell me what happened- should I call the police for you?"

"N-no please don't... Don't call... They'll... They'll... Please!" He knew very well what the police thought of him, and either way Titus had access to his fortune. He had told Nagito exactly how easy they were to bribe and intimidate, and what he could make them do to him. He'd much rather die than go through that.

"Okay, okay, I won't just, please talk to me? Something obviously happened between you two after you left yesterday. I want to help, Komaeda." he assured him.  
"Come on, let's clean you up, okay? And then we'll go through this and see what we can do." He said and propped him up under his shoulders and basically dragged out Nagito to the handicap bathroom.  
"Stay conscious, okay? Komaeda, are you with me?"  
Hajime was definitely freaking out. 

Nagito gagged, shivering violently as he struggled to respond. "M- I am-" He managed to croak out, the world spinning around him as Hajime dragged him away from the comfort of the sofa. He could feel his grip on reality slipping, having difficulties to remember where he was. Was it Titus or Hajime carrying him? Sometimes, he wasn't sure. Still, he remained limp and didn't fight back, his own body feeling like it was weighed down by iron.

"Komaeda, stay with me, we're in the bathroom now, I'm going to take off your clothes if that's okay to help you wash up, are you okay?" Hajime asked, struggling with the door but eventually managed to get him leaned against the wall of the shower. Shit, is this the right thing to do? He's covered in vomit- I should clean him up and get him rest- what do I do?

Nagito'd had his arms wrapped around himself, but unfurled them and held them out to his sides to give Hajime easier access to get his hoodie off. Even in spite of his muddled mind, Nagito knew very well how to appropriately react to this. 

"Komaeda, are you conscious? What got you like this?" Hajime asked, carefully inching off his soiled shirt.

Nagito mumbled something incoherent, squeezing his eyes shut at another bout of nausea. He gagged, but since he'd already emptied what little he'd had in his stomach he ended up expelling nothing but saliva. He shivered at the uncomfortable burn in his throat, raising his head and mumbling a quick "M' sorry," at Hajime.

"What? This is no problem at all, don't apologize. What happened?" he asked, wincing as he saw the incredibly tattered and bruised torso of Nagito's.  
"I'm taking off your pants now, are you okay with that?" Hajime asked carefully, his heart pounding hard in his ears.

Nagito nodded widely, taking a moment to swallow down the bile in his throat before attempting to answer Hajime's question.  
"It... I'm used to it. I really- It'll pass." He swallowed, wetting his painfully dry throat. "Don't understand why I came here," he murmured with distress. He'll- He'll hurt-" A poorly repressed sob broke through his dazed demeanor, causing him to curl back in on himself.

"Komaeda, he's not going to hurt you here, I promise. I'm not going to let him in. You're safe here." Hajime promised. "Your boyfriend isn't going to get you here. but we should get you cleaned up, and- and then we can get you medical attention- I should call Souda, he can help out- But first we need to clean you up, can you take off your pants?"

Nagito's heart jumped into his throat, and he hurriedly did his best to comply, shrugging out of his tight pants and almost falling over as he tried to get off the bottom parts. Hajime caught him, steadying him calmly as he got out of his pants and kicked them aside. "Sorry," He mumbled again, wrapping his arm tightly around himself in a feeble attempt to hide his bruised and gross body.

Now Hajime felt like throwing up.  
"Komaeda, what happened to you- were you- were you raped?"  
He swallowed hard. Had he really just made a- a- a victim strip-  
"Put on your pants again, I- I- you need to tell me what happened to you." 

Nagito felt sick, and he would probably have thrown up again if it weren't for his inability to do so. Hajime had, naturally, become disgusted by his appearance. It was plain to see in his eyes and although Nagito had expected it, it still stung. He pulled his knees up, wincing at the strain it put on his bruised hips and bloody body. He reached toward his pants, keeping his eyes down as he attempted to put them back on.  
He found he couldn't lift his legs though, his body still feeling as heavy as concrete and completely unmovable. Dejected, he at the very least tried to pull the clothes over himself, hiding as much of his hideous body from Hajime as possible.

Only then did he realize that Hajime was talking, had asked him of something. What happened to him? Nagito swallowed thickly.  
"Uhm- it- after coming here? I went home. N-nothing special happened after that," he murmured, praying he'd answered correctly.

"What happened for you to get like this?" he asked. Hajime swallowed hard. How could someone ever do this to another person?  
"Did your boyfriend rape you,Komaeda?" 

Nagito shivered in response, turning his head to press his cheek to the cold wall behind him. "N-no." He mumbled quietly. "He's my boyfriend- how-" He cut himself off, feeling tired enough to fall asleep against the wall.  
"M tired," he mumbled dazedly.

"Komaeda, no, stay with me, did your boyfriend rape you?" he pressed. "What happened to you- are you high?"

Nagito's stomach churned with discomfort.  
Hajime's words brought back memories, sensations oh- oh god. "I don't- I don't want to think about it!" Nagito said, voice high with panic. "Stop- stop it. I don't want to, stop it." Nausea assaulted him and he covered his eyes and ears with his hands, pressing harshly against his head.  
"Stopitstopitstopstop" He muttered to himself.

"Komaeda, Komaeda you're safe, you're okay, no one here's going to hurt you-" Hajime frantically tried to calm him down, careful not to touch him. "It just you and me here, I won't harm you or touch you or do anything you don't want to do."

Nagito tried to calm himself down, his entire body screaming at him to stop acting crazy you're just making things worse for yourself Titus will be angry-- "I'm sorry, I'm trying to calm down I promise, please don't send me away-" He gasped, shuddering.

"I'm not gonna send you away, I told you that you're safe here," he assured him. "I'm not gonna do that."

The haze started to clear. Nagito wasn't home, Titus couldn't hurt him here. "Right. Give- give me a second, please." He said, trying to compose himself. "I'm sorry, I lost myself. I- I really don't want to think about it. Please."

"Right, my apologies. I didn't think that far." Hajime apologized. "Take your time Komaeda, but we need to get you medical attention."

Nagito nodded but knew he couldn't stay. He couldn't be a bother to Hinata for much longer. "Thank you Hinata-san, but I should- I should go. Maybe... Maybe Titus hasn't noticed me gone yet." He forced himself to look composed, even as his head was spinning and nausea made him weak. He hoped he would be able to stand up properly and get out of the shop.

"No. Why would you willingly go back to him?!" Hajime exclaimed frustrated and confused. "I mean look at what he's done to you? Why would you willingly face that again?"

Nagito looked down sadly. "Well...I don't really have anywhere else to go. And besides- he'll find me anywhere, and he'll just be angrier the longer it takes."

"If you want to you could probably crash at my place until you manage to get back on your feet and away from him." Hajime offered. "It's a small apartment but I have enough room if you want a place to sleep away from him." 

Nagito gasped. "Please- I couldn't possibly....Hinata-san, you're going to regret that. I'm...I'm crazy- broken even. You should forget you ever met me, that would be best..." His voice trailed off by the end, and he wiped away tears that were threatening to form in his eyes.

"I can't just leave you to that man! He'll be the death of you, Komaeda forgive me for saying this but you should get as far away from him as possible." Hajiime said promptly.

Nagito felt a wave of drowsiness suddenly. "Hinata-san, you're really going to- to help?" He whispered, leaning his head in his hands. "I don't... Understand, I'm so tired."  
"You shouldn't bother with someone like me"

"I'm going to help in any way I can," he promised. "Let's get you off the floor and then we'll call you an ambulance and then you can rest." 

Nagito hummed, hearing Hajime's voice like it was underwater. He felt Hajime's hands grip his waist again, hoisting him up off the floors and supporting him. He blinked, leaning heavily against Hajime's body as he was escorted back out of the bathroom and to a different sofa in the living room, laid down with his shirt draped over his waist.  
"T-thank you-" he mumbled, enjoying the soft feeling of the couch beneath him.

"Shh, Komaeda, I'm going to call an ambulance for you, now don't freak out on me, but we need to get the drugs out of your system and I don't know how to do that. I'm going to go with you and I'll make sure that they don't do anything bad to you, alright?" Hajime said calmly. 

Nagito wanted to protest, but the fear of making Hajime angry at him was stronger. He could do this, he told himself. He'd been through worse. "I... Okay. let me leave. As soon as possible, please Hinata-san."

"Of course, if you don' want to be in the hospital you don't have to, but we need to make sure that you don't die," Hajime said and fished up his phone. "Please try to remain conscious?" he urged him and fished out his phone and dialed 112

Nagito nodded, sitting stiffly on the couch while Hinata talked. A couple of times he felt drowsiness almost overtake him but he stayed awake by pinching the bruises on his forearm, letting the pain jolt him awake. Eventually, Hajime put down the phone and returned to the couch.

"They're on their way with a car. I described your symptoms and they believe it might be Rohypnol which is not going to give you any serious health conditions, but just in case it's something else they're going to test you so it's important that you don't eat or drink or urinate." Hajime told him calmly and crouched down in front of him and looked for eye contact. "They'll be here in only ten minutes." he promised, "Do you think you can stay awake for that long, Komaeda?"

Nagito nodded sluggishly, pressuring his arm a bit more and hissing at the pain. "I... I can. I'm fine, Hinata-san." He assured him.

"Thank you, you're going to be okay. There's a small risk that you won't be able to remember what happened now but I'll still be with you. Do you want me to record this for you in case you pass out?" he asked, anxiety stirring in his gut. These were going to be a long ten minutes.

"... Record? I... Don't bother. I'm used to memory lapses." Nagito managed. "This isn't the first time I've... Taken whatever this is. It's better for both of us." He recognized that he was rambling, and felt a pang of sympathy for Hinata who had to sit through it.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that. You're not going to have to go through that ever again, okay?" he promised. "May I hold your hands, Komaeda?" he asked, making sure to ask for consent this time.

Nagito looked up, confused. "Y-yes, of course. You don't need to... Ask." He said, placing his hands in his lap. Truth be told, he was slightly looking forward to feeling Hinata's soft, gentle touch again. He'd felt Titus' roughness plenty of times from multiple People, but Hinata's was... Different. Unique. Nagito had never experienced something quite like it.

Hinata reached out and gently took his hands, stroking them with his thumbs. "You're going to be okay," he assured himself. "You're safe and we're going to fix it so that you can get completely out of whatever spiderweb he'd spun you into."

Nagito shut his eyes, wallowing in the sensation for a few moments. His body quickly got a heat pang and panic and claustrophobia kicked in, his breath becoming strained and raspy. "Hinata-san, would it be alright if I... laid down on the floor?" He asked, squirming slightly in his clothes. 

"Of course you can." he smiled pitifully at him and helped him down, laying a nearby blanket over him to protect his decency somewhat. 

Nagito smiled gratefully, shivering as the cold floor cooled his bare skin, already feeling better without the heat. He placed his hands back in his lap, hoping but not daring to ask Hinata to hold them again.

"May I hold your hands again?" Hajime asked, eyes darting between the bruises and up to Nagito's face.

Nagito nodded quickly, and Hajime's warm palms soon covered his own again. He could see Hajime's eyes glancing toward his bruised arms and collarbone, and he cursed himself for not wearing a more covering shirt. "I'm sorry. I know they're disgusting." He said apologetically.

"Hey, no. Komaeda, it's not your fault. You have nothing to be ashamed of, okay?" Hajime said softly. "It's not your fault that they're there, you have nothing to apologize for," he assured him. "The only thing disgusting about them is that someone would ever think of placing them on you."

Nagito wanted to argue he had plenty of things to feel ashamed of but he felt too weak and tired. Instead, he nodded slowly. "Sorry, Hinata-san. How long until the..." He couldn't quite bring himself to say it, thoughts of all the things Titus said about hospitals invading his mind. "Never mind." He instead amended softly, doing his best to block out those thoughts.

"They should be here any minute now, don't worry. Hospitals aren't dangerous. I've been admitted multiple times. The nurses are really nice." Hajime promised.

"Yeah But- you're not crazy" Nagito argued, so softly Hinata might not even have heard him. "And you're good. You're a good person." He said a bit louder, swallowing even though his throat was sore. He usually didn't talk this much after... In the mornings.

"And so are you. You just ended up in a bad situation. What makes you think that you're crazy?" Hajime wondered. "I'm sorry you can't have anything to drink. It's to make the tests as easy on you as possible."

"T-that's not true!" Nagito insisted. "Good people are strong, confident...brimming with Hope. Like you. I'm just...weak and pathetic. The only thing people like me are good for is being stepping stones for better people. That's why...That's why you shouldn't worry about me. You should use me how you wish and then... throw me aside." Nagito's heart raced and the words felt rushed off his tongue. When he was done he felt out of breath and coughed for a moment to regain composure. 

"I'm so sorry you feel that way. You're not just a stepping stone. If you make it through all of this you'll be the strongest person I know Komaeda." 

Nagito didn't answer at first, too overcome with the feeling of Hajime's touch against him and baring his heart like that. Hajime hadn't yelled at him- hadn't called him crazy. Hadn't told him to shut the fuck up or he'll be locked away with all the other crazy people in jail and raped until he dies from the wounds.  
"Hinata-san, you truly are a good person." He said, somewhat baffled. "To think that you'd have sympathy for someone- someone like me. It's amazing."

"What do you mean, "someone like me"? Of course I have sympathy for you! To be forced to endure such things as you've done? How long did it even go on for?" he asked and looked up at him. "I'm not a specially good person. But I'm average. And any person would pity someone in your situation." he frowned and then the ambulance pulled up outside the café.

Nagito was glad he didn't have to answer that. What had Hinata even meant? Titus? Thinking back... He wasn't sure he could remember. As far as he was concerned, Titus had been there more or less ever since his parents died. He couldn't quite bring himself to admit that "It" had gone on for ten years though, he suspected Hinata would be upset. 

Hajime helped the semi-conscious Komaeda up from the floor and onto the stretcher and followed right by, giving a nurse the information they needed, making sure that it was a secret that Komaeda was hospitalized and followed Komaeda into the ambulance, locking up the café just before they left.  
Once in the ambulance, a sweet nurse talked to Komaeda.  
"Komaeda Nagito, I'm Hatsume Yuriko, do you know what's happening right now?" she asked. "I'm going to shine a flashlight in your eyes now and make sure that your body is responding properly. Is that okay?" 

Nagito shivered but nodded and Nagito fought to keep his eyes open as the nurse inspected him. "Where...Where is Hinata-san?" He asked softly when he got the chance, but he thought the sound was lost amidst the chatter and noise of the ambulance. He couldn't see anything else than the roof from where he was laying, and he felt scared. He didn't know any of these people and he knew that they wouldn't hesitate to lock him up if they found out how messed up he was. Hinata had promised to not leave him, right? Where had he gone?

"Hinata-san is the one who called, right? He's on his way in right now. Here he comes." She said as Hajime climbed in. "Can you tell me what three times four is Komaeda-san?"

Though his brain was sluggish, Nagito managed to correctly answer the question. Hinata approached as Hatsume waved him over, and Nagito exhaled in relief.  
Hatsume performed more tests, checking his breathing and reflexes as well as asking more questions. Nagito was terrified of what would happen if he got one wrong, so he made sure to think them through and answered everything correctly.  
"Hinata-san they won't take me away, right?" He asked as Hatsume turned her back briefly. The bright lights were only making him more dazed, and Nagito's head pounded but he still wrenched his gaze from the lights, turning to face Hinata.

"No they won't. They're just going to get you up to poison control, run some tests on you and collect some samples and then you'll get your stomach flushed. Maybe they'll do a detox on you too but I'll be there the whole time." He promised.

"Komaeda-san we've deemed you conscious enough to consent to medical treatment and we ask if it is okay if we begin taking the tests on our way to the hospital for this experience to be over as quickly as possible for you," Yuriko told him.

"T-tests?" Nagito felt reluctant, but Hajime was looking at him encouragingly and the nurse's voice was soft and her hands were precise and firm, not harsh like Titus'. They weren't as soft and gentle as Hinata's though, Nagito didn't think that was possible.  
"I think...If it will be over faster and I need to, then it's okay. What are you going to do?" He asked, craning his head to look at the nurse.

"First we're going to take a blood sample from you so that we can get the results of what you were drugged with. It's most likely Ketamine, Rohypnol or GHB. We also wish to take tests and see if you have blood or sperm anywhere left so that we can build a case against your rapist." Yuriko explained. "We would also like to take pictures of your injuries over at the hospital before they fade. It will help a case of a restraining order and a domestic abuse claim, but you will get to consent to that after we've made sure that you're completely lucid," she explained, more to Hajime's understanding than Komaeda's as Nagito was as stated, drugged. "We would also like to take sperm samples off of you, to help you further press charges against your assaulter."

Nagito's eyes went wide. "You- don't bring him into this, please. He can't know about this. He'll...He'll..." Well, he didn't know what he would do, but the thought terrified him.  
...Don't you fucking dare tell anyone about this. Not your "friends" if you ever had any, not family and not the fucking cops, do you understand me Nagito? You get me in jail, and when I get out I'll make sure you regret being born. You deserve this, don't bother going to others and crying about it. I could do so much worse, I'm being lenient with you...  
Nagito started to shake, unable to control himself. He heard Hinata give a worried sound, but he couldn't hear him, too wrapped up in panic.

"Komaeda, KOMAEDA! Listen, listen to me. LISTEN." She said authoritatively, trying to get his attention and laid a steady hand on his chest. This wasn't the first case like this she'd worked on. "Komaeda-san, breathe. You're nowhere near him. You're not going to get harmed, just listen to me."

Nagito blinked, squirming to get away from the touch. He didn't want to be here with this lady screaming at him. He wanted to go back to the cafe. Still, whatever she did seemed to work after a while, because the fog dissipated and he could see somewhat clearly again, even if all he saw was a roof. "I...I'm sorry." He managed eventually. "But please- he'll find me. I don't want him involved. I just want to do whatever you need me to do so Hinata-san is satisfied and then get away from here." 

"He won't be able to do anything Komaeda-san. This is the one way of preventing you'll ever cross paths with him again. With a criminal record of rape, drugging you, and domestic abuse he will never receive a Japanese citizenship nonetheless be allowed into the country. Money can do a lot but not everything." Yuriko promised him.  
Hajime kept awfully quiet. Wasn't it a bit early to discuss this with Komaeda?

Nagito was silent for a while. "Hinata-san, is this really okay?" He asked at last. What the nurse said made sense in theory, but he wasn't sure. Titus was so...Titus was invincible. He'd do whatever it took to hurt Nagito, even when he didn't fight back. The thought of something like this made him feel sick with dread for the aftermath.  
"What she's saying is right and I agree with her, but it's your choice and no one is going to hate you or hurt you for making your own choice. I do recommend going through with the tests though, in case you change your mind later," he said promptly.

Reluctantly, Nagito nodded. "Alright. I'll...I'll do the tests." He let his head fall back down onto the stretcher, trying not to flinch as Hatsume moved her hand on his chest. Hinata is here, he reminded himself. I have an ally. 

"Thank you. We need to collect as solid evidence as possible even if some things might be completely useless in the end." Hajime told him. "Do you want me to hold your hand?"

Nagito nodded, feeling too scared and drowsy to feign indifference. He shut his eyes as Hatsume began the examination. 

Most of the ambulance ride passed in a blur of Hajime's soft touch against his hand, strange sounds and doctors and nurses speaking in hushed tones. Hajime spoke to him occasionally, and Nagito was too drowsy to really pick up on anything but he appreciated it nonetheless. Eventually, Hajime squeezed his hand and announced that they were going to move to the hospital and that he wasn't going anywhere but needed to let go for a while. Nagito wasn't happy about it, but reluctantly let his hand go. He hadn't even realized he'd been gripping it that tightly.  
Hajime kept his promise, staying by Komaeda's side the entire time, only leaving to quickly use the bathroom or change into disinfected clothes as they flushed Nagito's stomach for any remainders of what turned out to be a mix of alcohol and Rohypnol.  
It took about two hours after he'd been hooked up to a machine to filter his blood for him for Nagito to come to it again, now rigged up to an IV. 

"Hey there Komaeda." Hajime said softly as he saw the man's eyes flutter open.


	3. Chapter 3

The first thing Nagito felt when he came to was that he was completely naked, which wasn't really a surprise. He was, however, surprised at the lack of smells that usually permeated his and Titus' apartment. No stench of alcohol or sweat. Instead, it smelled like cleaning detergent and sterility. It was...strange but not unpleasant. As he opened his eyes, Nagito was even more confused. Why were the lights on? Had he somehow slept longer than Titus? That wasn't good.  
Then...a soft voice caught his attention. Who? He turned his head and met-  
"Hinata-san?" His voice was rough and dry. "What's going on?" he asked meekly. "Where's- where's Titus? Why am I not home?"

"Komaeda-san, you're safe now. You're in the hospital." Hinata said calmly, rubbing his face awake and gave him a soft smile. "Nobody but you, me and a select few nurses and doctors know you're here."

Nagito tried to clear his head a bit. He remembered some of what had happened the previous day but...Hinata had been there, right? Hinata wanted to help him. He still needed to process all of that.  
"Why...Why did you do that? With my name- I mean. I liked it before." His brain was still muddled from sleep, and in a couple minutes, he'd be horrified that he'd said something so presumptuous. Right now, however, all he could think about was the soft way Hinata said "Komaeda". 

"Hm? You want me to drop the honorific again? I can do that. But then you'll have to drop it too." he said softly. "Is that okay, Komaeda?" 

Komaeda nodded slowly. He tried to sit up, but the pounding in his head made him abandon that idea quickly. Then suddenly he realized, "Hinata, you were in the cafe to work right? You...You should head back. Don't worry about me."

"I've already called my coworkers and asked them to cover my shift," he said with a smile. "Do you want a glass of water? They've finished all tests related to the drug," he said and shuddered. 

Nagito nodded and accepted the water gratefully. Hajime helped him drink it, and it was heavenly to his parched throat. "Still. Why are you here? You don't know me. You have no obligations toward me, so I don't understand."

"It's the right thing to do," Hajime told him with a sweet smile. "I'm concerned about you and I want to help. Plus you probably don't remember this but my home is open for you after you get discharged so that you can get away from doucheface permanently. Do you two have a shared bank account by the way?"

"Y-yes we do, but you...You want me to live with you?" Nagito asked, looking at him in disbelief. "But I'm...I can't. I'll be a bother and I'll do something wrong and you'll be angry with me, not that you shouldn't of course, but then I'll lose you and I'll have...I'll have nothing again." He shuddered at the mere thought. Better to have Hajime as a casual acquaintance, possibly even friend if he dared go that far. If Hajime got that close to him... He'd been screwed up even before Titus, but in the state he was in now it was no wonder Titus had treated him the way he had. Of course, he didn't voice this thought, as he suspected it would make Hajime angry. He didn't want that.

"Komaeda, first of all, I've had way worse roommates than what you appear to be. Secondly, you won't lose me like that. I may not look the part but I'm a very stubborn man. I promised I'd help you get out of whatever spiders web he has you in and I'm going to help get you out. The next step here is to freeze your bank account and block your cards." Hajime said, pulling up his phone. "What bank do you have?"

Nagito answered compliantly and was then handed Hajime's phone to fill in the required information to freeze the account and block all cards. 

"There we go, all set. Now doucheface can't run you bankrupt and control you via your finances." Hajime said and logged out of the bank account and put down his phone.  
"Then will you come stay at my place for a while until we manage to get you out of his grip?" he asked brightly.

"You- you don't know me! I'm... I'm twisted, broken, I'm dangerous to be around. It would be better for both of us if you just-" Nagito had a sudden flashback, they'd had this argument before. Hajime had...listened to him. Hadn't called him crazy or any of the things Titus or anyone else would have.  
Even more reason to not force such a burden upon him, he reasoned.  
"Hajime you're...you're really kind, and I get that you pity me but- I'll be fine, really. I'm sure I'll find something soon and in the meantime, It's not the first time I've been homeless." (Nobody had wanted to rent an apartment to a 12-year-old orphan, no matter how much money he offered. And he would never go back to The House. He'd rather die on the streets)  
Of course, it wasn't fine. Titus would find him, most likely, and if Nagito were lucky his life would end quickly. Nagito wasn't very lucky often.  
Still, better for Hajime to think it was going to be alright.

"Komaeda, I'm not going to let you put yourself in that risk. Please come to stay with me until you get back on your feet and you can honestly say that you're happy, okay and that you recognize that you're not worthless." Hajime said promptly. 

"I... Why do you care so badly? Just leave me to rot- that's all I'm good for!" Nagito complained covering his face with his hands. Hajime was really insistent, all Nagito wanted was for him to walk out, have a happy life and never think about trash like him again.

"Nope. You see that?" Hajime pointed towards him. "That's why I won't let you go like that. You're a danger to yourself and I don't want to see you hurt pointlessly. You've already suffered enough." Hajime argued.

Nagito exhaled in frustration. "And that's why I can't let you do that. You're too good Hinata! I...I don't deserve to even breathe the same air as you, let alone live with you." He argued. He remembered this feeling of frustration, the same he'd felt an eternity ago (yesterday) at HOPE's coffee. He guessed Hajime had a point. He was too stubborn for his own good.

"Nope. That, my dear Komaeda, is a delusion. You're not unworthy, you if anyone deserves peace, love, and affection." Hajime countered. 

Nagito groaned. "Alright. Say I do come and live with you. You've frozen my account, right? How am I supposed to pay rent? Your job at a coffee shop would hardly be enough to support two, would it?"  
The irritation Nagito felt was completely inappropriate, yet somehow he couldn't stop himself from snapping. Titus had often commented on his "rebellious" nature. It had been a part of him he'd had to "train" out of him. The thought made Nagito nauseous, though he had to admit it felt good to be able to complain, even if it made Hajime hate him.  
The consequence would only be Nagito hating himself, after all. He already did plenty of that.

"I'm making enough for the short time it's going to take for us to get the money signed back to you. That's the easy stuff. Financial settlements are usually easier than other twists. We studied this for over two years at law school." Hajime assured him.

"Guess it shouldn't be surprising you went to law school," Nagito commented. "But- what if Titus finds me. He- he'd be so angry, he was already mad at me for pushing you away before I can't even imagine what he'd do-" That was a lie, Nagito had a very vivid imagination. He just didn't want to frighten Hajime.  
"I don't want to drag you into this." He complained softly, the irritation draining from him as quickly as it'd come. He couldn't be mad at someone as compassionate and nice as Hajime, especially not when he'd taken the time to do so much for him.

"You wanna know what he'd do? Nothing. Because he's not going to find you and even if he does he's not going to be able to hurt you. Komaeda, we'll file for a restraining order. Just the fact that you were roofied and that they found his DNA on you is enough to get that and even make rape accusations against him to get him banned from the country. For once I'm glad Japan dislikes foreigners so much."

"That's- we could really do that? We could really get him banned from the country?" Nagito asked in disbelief. He might- he might be free. The thought was both exhilarating and somehow terrifying. 

"Yes, it's possible. Japan has a 98% prosecution rate." Hajime told him. "It's definitely possible. And I'm going to work the hardest I've ever done to help you reach that." 

Nagito's head spun. "How... I can never repay you for this. Hinata you- you're amazing. Truly. I've never before been so grateful in my life." The softness, the gentleness it was...It was all too much. Hinata practically glowed with it. Nagito felt tears run down his cheeks, as he stared up at the roof.

"So don't worry Komaeda. I promised I'd get you out of his spider web, and I'm a man of my word." 

Nagito exhaled shakily. "A-alright. I'll trust you, Hinata. So...What now? When can I leave here?" He asked, trying to push himself into sitting position again. It worked better this time, and he managed to lean against the headboard with only a minor headache. His body was covered in bandages and gauze, and the various wounds throbbed but the pain was nothing he couldn't handle. He also noticed that he wasn't- in fact- naked, but wearing some kind of loose hospital gown. It was practically paper thin, so he hadn't noticed it before.

"I don't know, but I reckon it'll be soon. Would you like some more water?" Hajime asked, giving him a smile now that it felt like at least one knot was untangled. 

Nagito nodded, he felt severely dehydrated. The water was cool and refreshing, and Nagito realized he was more comfortable than he'd been for months. Once again, all thanks to Hajime, whom he grew more and more used to over time. The room didn't have a clock so Nagito didn't really have a grasp of time, but it must have been hours of him drifting in and out of consciousness. He had nightmares, as usual, but Hajime was quick to snap him out of them. For a while, Nagito almost felt...content. 

Hajime stuck by his side until lunchtime when a nurse showed up and took out Komaeda's IV drip and allowed him to leave the room to get lunch in the hospital cafeteria, supervised of course. 

Nagito managed to walk on his own, though due to his injuries it wasn't easy. As soon as he left the room he felt skittish, jumping at practically any shadow though Hajime reassured him each time. He saw a nurse with blonde hair, and he was certain he'd caught sight of Titus. That almost gave him a heart attack.  
They did manage to reach the cafeteria though, and Nagito got the least sweet foods he could get his hands on. Their salted peanuts were delicious.

"So you don't like sweet stuff huh?" he asked as they sat down, Hajime with a plate of kinda okay hospital food across from Komaeda.

Nagito shook his head, chewing on a peanut. "Too much sugar makes me feel sick." He said. "Although- if it's a little it's fine."

"Isn't it weird that they sell peanuts at a hospital though? What if someone was allergic?" Hajime speculated, figuring that Komaeda wasn't very keen on talking about doucheface.

Nagito shrugged. "It's not exactly the first time public establishments fail to think of their citizens." He put aside the peanuts, forcing himself to chew the tasteless hospital stew despite his nausea. He wanted to regain his strength so he could leave as quickly as possible.

"I promise I'll cook you something better when we get home." Hajime said, seeing how displeased Komaeda was with the hospital food.

"You'll... You don't need to worry about me. This is more than fine." Nagito insisted, forcing down another spoonful. "I'm already imposing too much, please. You're giving me a place to live, The least I can do is make myself as little of a burden as possible. Please, Hinata."

"Don't worry about it. I usually make too much food anyway. Cons of working at a bakery. Plus lunchboxes are a thing." Hajime said. "It's going to be fun to have a roommate again."

Nagito bit his lip, wondering how long before Hajime grew annoyed with him and tossed him out. Or worse, didn't say anything until their relationship was permanently soured by resentment. He didn't voice these concerns and covered his sour mood up by eating more peanuts. Hajime had been kind enough to allow him to stay with him, and Nagito hereby decided he would be as little of a burden as possible for Hajime. It was the least he could do.

"Hinata. How long time have you spent here? Maybe you should get some fresh air?" He suggested timidly.

"I think they have a rooftop that we could access if you wanna go out." Hajime told him and glanced over to the floor map.

Nagito nodded. He still felt weak, but he'd go if Hajime wanted. "You're certain you want me to accompany you?" He asked.

"It's up to you to decide. I don't really care. It's nice to get a day off." he shrugged. "If you want to go to the roof we'll go.

Nagito looked down at his lap for a moment. "I'm not sure I'm strong enough, unfortunately. But I won't mind if you want to get some fresh air, you've done more than enough for me already." He picked at the remnants of his stew with the spoon.

"I don't really care for it." he shrugged. "If rather get to know my future roommate unless you want to have some alone time," Hajime told him.

Nagito nodded slowly. He'd do his best to be entertaining then if Hajime wanted to spend time with him. "Then... What do you want to do?" He asked, setting down his cutlery.

"I dunno. I want you to get better so perhaps something calm, like a board game?" he suggested. "Unless you'd rather sleep."

Nagito stood up, with only minor difficulties and grabbed his and Hajime's plates out of habit. "Alright then, I'll just go put these away." He said, starting toward the bins for dropping off dirty dishes.

"Komaeda you're hospitalized. I'll take the dishes." Hajime said, following him and offering to take them. "It's okay to ask for help."

Nagito looked down at the plates, then back up at Hajime. "Oh- sorry, Hinata. I didn't mean to be forward I just- You can take them if you'd prefer."

"It's more so you don't over-exert yourself," he said and took his own plate so that Nagito wouldn't feel out of place. "You should rest so that you get well soon."

Nagito nodded slowly, wondering if he'd done something wrong. Following Hajime and depositing his dishes was suddenly awkward, and he wished he'd never opened his mouth in the first place. After leaving the cafeteria the two located a game room where Hinata picked up a few games that looked interesting, whereupon the two headed for Nagito's room. "How much longer will I have to stay here?" He asked softly so that their supervisor didn't hear, as they made their way back.

"Until they've made sure that the drug is completely out of your system. They said it could up until 72 hours." Hajime explained. "I could probably ask them to let you go soon though but you'll feel pretty shitty because it's still in there."

72 hours. Well, Nagito had been through worse. Here he had a roof over his head and a bed to sleep in, it was better than a lot of places he'd stayed in as a child. Still, his skin was itching with the need to get away, and sure nothing bad had happened to him yet but who knew? Still, he wouldn't cause any unnecessary trouble when Hajime had been nice enough to accompany him.  
"Alright then. That's not too bad." He forced a small smile, the motion felt foreign on his face. He couldn't recall the last time he'd sincerely smiled.

"Seriously, I could ask for them to discharge you if you wish. It's confirmed that you're going to be okay. Just suffer through one hell of a hangover." Hajime told him as they slowly walked back to Nagito's room.

"Oh that- that won't be a problem. Like I said before, this isn't the first time." Nagito gave Hajime what he hoped was a reassuring look. "I'll be fine. So- if it's not a bother I'd...I'd prefer to leave as quickly as possible. I promise you I won't be a burden."

"I don't think you will." he hummed. "I'll talk to a nurse and they'll come to take out your IV." he smiled back at him and left him to locate a nurse once they were back in Nagito's room.

Nagito got dressed while Hajime was out, wanting to cover his bruised skin as fast as possible. The sweatpants the hospital provided were very comfortable but the lack of long sleeves on the shirt disturbed him so just until Hajime returned he held his arms inside the t-shirt. 

Hajime soon returned, the nurse gently coaxing out Nagito's arm from his shirt so that she could remove his IV from his arm. "Thank you for letting us treat you," she said politely. "You may leave now."

Nagito still kept his arms wound around himself though, even after Hajime returned, hoping it at the very least covered some bruising on his arms. The nurse gave him some tips for treating himself, and then the pair were finally allowed to leave. Nagito practically laughed with relief as they stepped outside, before remembering Titus' admonishing about how creepy he looked while laughing, which mellowed his joy.

"You seem uncomfortable Komaeda, would you like to borrow my hoodie?" he asked, digging it out of his backpack.

Nagito turned to him with surprise. "I'm fine Hinata. No need to concern yourself." He would n't be a burden, he reminded himself.

"Just be a little selfish. No one's going to get mad at you for it," he said and held it out to him.

Nagito, deciding that arguing would be an even bigger bother, reluctantly accepted the garment. Putting it on gave him an almost embarrassing amount of relief at being covered again. "So then, where do you live Hinata? Unless you want to stop somewhere else first." He said, wanting to break the awkward silence.

"In the Gohan district, so it's nothing fancy but it's home," he said a bit awkwardly. "I wanna stop by for some groceries first if that's okay."

"Of course." Nagito nodded. Suddenly, he caught sight of a guy walking on the opposite pavement. He had bleached hair, and Nagito's blood froze for a moment, and he stopped, causing Hajime to almost walk into him. Then the guy turned a corner and Nagito saw he was holding hands with what looked like a child. Not Titus then. His heart pounded but he started walking again, mumbling an apology to Hajime.

"What happened?" Hajime turned around to face him. "Something wrong?"

Nagito quickly shook his head. "I'm fine. I just thought I- never mind. Nothing to worry about." He tried to look calm, even though his heart was beating at double speed.

"Komaeda, it's okay if you don't want to tell me but I feel like it's going to be beneficial to the both of us if I get to know what frightens you," Hajime told him. 

Nagito sighed. "Of course Hinata. Sorry. It's... I saw a guy." He motioned toward the other side of the street. "He had bleached hair and... I thought maybe, but it's fine. It wasn't him. It just spooked me, is all." He spoke quickly, curtly even, wanting to get it over with as soon as possible. Being out in public alone, even if Hajime did insist he was "free" was very unsettling. He wondered if he'd ever grow accustomed.

"Understandably so." he nodded. "You can walk closer to me if you want to. That way even if he comes he can't do anything without alerting the police." Hajime said, motioning to the police giving a tourist information.

"I... Alright." Nagito agreed, moving a bit closer to Hajime. They were almost touching arms now, and it did make Nagito feel a bit better. It also reminded him of the way Titus used to physically manhandle him though, which was unsettling. He had to constantly remind himself he was walking next to Hajime and not Titus.

"Komaeda, if you're uneasy you don't have to." Hajime told him as they turned the corner towards a grocery store. 

"No, it's... It's fine. This is better- I just. Sometimes I forget I'm no longer with him." Nagito explained. "I just need a reminder sometimes."

"Would holding my hand help? I'm asking because it seemed to work previously." Hajime asked.

"W-what? You don't want to do that, what if someone sees you with me! I wouldn't wish that humiliation on you!" Nagito protested, even as his hand brushed against Hajime's subconsciously.

"I offered, so I don't mind, do I?" Hajime asked and carefully took Komaeda's hand. 

Nagito shook his head quickly. Hajime's soft hand felt good around his own, a far cry from Titus' harsh touch. It felt guiding, not demanding or possessive. The touch was so uniquely Hajime's it was impossible to forget.  
"You're really kind, Hinata." He said softly, The only comment he could come up with at the moment.

"Not really. I'd say normal." he shrugged with a grin. "Let's go buy something for dinner and head home then?"

Nagito nodded, following Hajime into the grocery store. They got a few strange looks but didn't pay them any mind. Nagito stood by their shopping cart awkwardly, not knowing if he was supposed to help or just stay out of the way. Hajime struggled with bringing down a bag of rice with only one hand, so he quickly let go to make it easier. "Don't worry, I'm fine in here. There aren't as many people." He explained, fiddling with the strings of Hajime's hoodie.

"Okay, just make sure to tell me if something's wrong," Hajime said and took down the rice bag with much more ease. "What do you want for dinner tonight? Preferably something with a bit more taste than hospital food."

Nagito shrugged. "Whatever you like. I'll be glad to help you cook if I can be of assistance, it's the least I can do." 

"I'll hold you to that." Hajime chuckled. "I'm only good at baking though, so bear with me?" he asked.

"I'm sure they are," he said thankfully. "So since I suck at cooking I'm just thinking about doing curry? If you have any ideas on how to lift it please tell me."

Nagito glanced at the ingredients already in the cart. "Perhaps...If you'd like you could get some additional flavor from adding clams? They would go well with your ingredients, and aren't very expensive." He suggested, hesitantly meeting Hajime's gaze to ensure he hadn't said anything stupid. 

"That would work. Do you have any experience cooking with clams? Otherwise, we'll figure this out together!" he said confidently and headed to the seafood counter.

"I do have some experience, it's not terribly difficult. I can show you." Nagito said. "Or I could cook for you- if you'd prefer." His tone was airy, as he bent down to examine various types of clams, measuring quality against price.

"I'd love to learn." he said with a smile. "Take some that are like, middle quality, middle price," he said. "I'll go get vegetables."

Nagito nodded, opting to choose a brand that he was familiar with from before. He held it in one hand, seeing Hajime disappear around the corner and deciding to look around a bit more before catching up with him.  
He walked past an older lady, intending to look at some spices that might go well with clams. He'd show them to Hajime and let him decide if they should get any.  
In the middle of perusing their selection, a voice caught his attention. Nagito didn't think much of it, as it probably wasn't intended for him but then he felt a hand on his back. 

He froze immediately, breath catching in his throat as his entire body went on high alert. His hand trembled around the plastic bag of spices he'd been holding and it dropped to the ground. He twirled around, seeing the old lady from before, looking at him confusedly and he murmured an apology before walking away as fast as he could, wanting to get away from the noise and bright lights before he completely broke down.  
He found refuge by the baking goods, crouching down next to the empty shelves and trying to steady his breathing while berating himself. He had no business freaking out like that- especially when he'd been perfectly fine. Here he was, crouching down next to marzipan and almond meal, acting like some kind of...crazy person. He shuddered at the thought.

Hajime found their cart abandoned with a bucket of clams but sadly without a Nagito. "Komaeda?" Hajime looked around the mazes of aisles, growing more and more anxious that Komaeda had run back to doucheface. That was until he found him curled up by the baking aisle.  
"Komaeda? What happened, are you okay, calm down, breathe with me, I'm here." Hajime crouched down by the panicking man, cart shielding them from passerbyers.

When Nagito heard Hajime's voice, his heart started to beat even faster in panic. He hadn't even managed a day without screwing up! "I-I'm sorry... I'm so- I'm sorry" He muttered, trying to calm down to no avail. He was making a scene in public all because of something so stupid, he really was worthless. Crazy, damaged just like Titus had said.

"Shh, shh, it's okay, I don't blame you." Hajime hushed quietly. "You're forgiven Komaeda."

Nagito gasped, the pressure over his chest loosening slightly as he tried to match his breathing to Hajime's. When he no longer felt like the world was encroaching on him, he buried his head between his knees and wheezed. "I'm...Hinata-kun, I'm sorry. It's like I said before you should just leave trash like me behind and- and-... I'll only make more trouble for you. I couldn't even handle something so easy as this. I truly am a failure."

"Hey, I knew what I was getting myself into. It's okay." Hajime assured him. "I actually deal with anxiety myself."

"You-you do?" Nagito asked timidly, hazarding a glance upward and furiously rubbing at his eyes as he noticed his blurry vision. In wake of the panic and anxiety, all he could feel was soft. That particular softness that only Hajime had, the one that made him want to selfishly curl up into a ball and relish forever. It was a far cry from when he'd woken up panicking back when he'd lived with Titus. Then he'd hyperventilated until he either threw up or fainted, throwing himself on the ground because Titus would yell at him if he woke him and that made it so much worse. 

Hajime nodded. "So we'll sit here as long as you need to. Don't worry about how long it takes or anything. We'll sit here until we're both calm and ready."

"Don't you need to finish shopping?" Nagito said, pushing himself onto his knees and cursing how they practically buckled underneath him. "Let's go, I'll be fine." He spoke hurriedly, more for convincing himself than Hajime. His knees trembled as he tried to get up from the ground, but at least he didn't fall which was something. He doubted he was fooling Hajime, but the urge to be useful, to not be a burden compelled him either way.

Nah. We have all the time in the world to sit here." he said, not making any efforts to get off the floor.

"N-no you shouldn't let something stupid like this get in your way. Let's go finish shopping Hinata-kun." Nagito insisted, feeling the panic rising again. He was doing the one thing he'd promised himself not to do. He wanted to bash his head against the shelf with granulated sugar in frustration as he tried to get his legs to start working again.

"Komaeda, calm down and we'll take things one at a time," he said calmly but sternly. "First we need to calm down."

The sharpness in Hajime's voice put Nagito on alert. "A-alright then Hinata-kun." As he sat back down, staring into his lap, he could feel an awkward silence between them. 

Hajime waited patiently for Komaeda to calm down. 10 minutes later Hajime turned to Komaeda. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm...better." Nagito admitted, fiddling with the bunched up fabric of Hajime's hoodie in his lap. "I don't feel as weak and my chest doesn't hurt." His eyes flicked upward for a moment, meeting Hajime's. "What about you?"

"I'm much calmer." he hummed. "Do you wanna sit here more?" he asked, fiddling with the crumpled spice bag

Nagito thought for a moment. "I think...I can get up. If that's okay, of course." He said, meeting Hajime's gaze to show him how much he'd calmed down.

"Of course it is," he said and heaved himself off the floor and stretched and offered Komaeda a helping hand up.

Nagito accepted it, grasping it as gingerly as he could. "Did- did you manage to get all the vegetables you wanted?" He asked, feeling the softness melting the last of his panic away like butter in sunshine.

"I did indeed." Hajime hummed and so they went off shopping again."May I ask what triggered it?"

Nagito held his breath for a moment.  
"It's...stupid. Nothing, really I just- I thought I'd go look for some spices and there was this old lady and she didn't do anything wrong it's just she...she touched me and her hand wasn't..." He thought for a moment, trying to put the difference in feeling between the lady's hand and Hajime's into words. "It wasn't...comfortable? No- that's not the right word, forgive me Hinata-kun. I can't really explain it."

"I don't really understand but I'll take your word for it. Is my touch uncomfortable too?" Hajime asked

"No, yours is different. It's... Soft. Gentle. Comfortable." Nagito said quickly, not wanting Hajime to misunderstand. "Your touch is special, Hinata-kun. I've never felt anything like it before."

He couldn't help it okay? At Komaeda's words, he turned into a beet red, stuttering mess. "Ah- I see- I take it is okay to hold your hand then-"

"Hinata-kun? Are you alright? Did I say something wrong?" Nagito asked incredulously, slightly loosening his grip on Hajime's hand in case that was the reason for his change. Nagito usually only stuttered when he panicked, but Hajime didn't look distressed so he was having some trouble reading the other.

"No no, you didn't do anything wrong!" Hajime exclaimed. "Let's just go buy these things"

"Alright." Nagito said confusedly as Hajime lead him away by the hand. He didn't know why, but thinking back to that moment while helping Hajime stack the groceries on the counter, a small smile of amusement touched his lips.  
When they'd arranged the groceries Nagito reached into his pocket, before realizing that he was wearing Hajime's hoodie and therefore didn't have his card. He stepped aside sheepishly, he was so used to paying whenever he was out with Titus. Even if they shared an account Titus usually said it was too much work, hence Nagito almost always ended up paying.

"Don't worry about it Komaeda, I got it." Hajime murmured and greeted the cashier awkwardly, paid and went to pack the groceries. "Dammit I forgot a bag, may I just?" but the next customer had already begun loading up his groceries and ended up getting a bag for Hajime and Komaeda, getting a grateful thank you from them both.

After packing their groceries, Nagito lifted the bag and fell into step beside Hajime. He wanted to ask him to hold his hand again but didn't dare so he merely walked a bit closer than before. Outside the store, the streets were packed as they'd stepped right into rush hour. Nagito turned to Hajime worriedly. "How long is the walk to your apartment?" He asked, really disliking the loud sounds and the crowds. 

"Not too far, we're already in the Gohan district." he told him. "Do you want to stick to the main streets or do you wanna take the back streets?"

"The...The main streets, please." Nagito said quickly. Better to endure some crowds than risk being assaulted or robbed. If he'd been on his own he would naturally have wandered along the back streets, hoping for some bad luck which would benefit others but right now he was with Hajime, and he didn't deserve to be dragged into anything like that. Nagito knew full well how easy it was to be taken by surprise, especially during dusk.

"Then we'll walk as fast as you can muster so we can get home and start with dinner." he hummed softly.

Nagito made sure to not lose Hajime in the crowds as they walked, staying a step or two behind him to better brave the crowds. It wasn't awful but being pushed around by other pedestrians hurt his bruises, not to mention he was scared someone would make him drop their bag. He breathed a sigh of relief when Hajime announced that they were at his apartment complex, and when they entered the lobby and got away from the noise and crowds he felt much better already. As Hajime unlocked his door, Nagito rubbed a spot on his arm where someone had practically elbowed him. 

"So this is home. Not much but it's bright and it's not moldy." he smiled and took off his shoes. "I have slippers there for you. Want me to take the groceries?"

Nagito handed the bag to Hajime, pulled on the slippers, and followed him out into the small kitchen. The apartment was bright and airy, reasonably clean and pretty cozy. Nagito did notice a few places that might need dusting and made a mental note to ask Hajime if he could clean the place at some point. He liked cleaning and had gotten good at it over the years. "How can I help you?" He asked, stepping forward so he was beside Hajime as he finished unloading the groceries.

"We could start with dinner by now and then lay out a futon for you," Hajime suggested.

"Alright then. Should I prepare the clams then?" Nagito suggested, reaching for the package along with the spices he'd picked out. He looked up, noticing a picture frame on a windowsill. It depicted a slightly younger Hajime with his arm around a taller girl. It was a happy picture, and Hajime was smiling.  
"Is that your girlfriend, Hinata-kun?" Nagito asked, gesturing to the picture.

"What?" Hajime spun around. "Oh no, that's my sister." he chuckled awkwardly. "I don't have a girlfriend. Never been interested... In girls... Like that."

"Oh right, sorry for assuming." Nagito amended immediately, filling the sink with cold water to find the bad clams. "She looks nice." He commented, wondering if he could ask more questions. He wanted to know more about Hajime.

"Yeah, she's talented at like everything she does too," Hajime said a little bitterly and went over to Nagito to observe and learn.

Nagito studied the photos for a moment, oblivious to Hajime's soured demeanor. "What does she do?" He asked curiously. "She is very pretty."

"What doesn't she do? She's talented at everything." he sighed and looked over at the clams. "She's studying for her third college degree."

"Wow-" Nagito started, amazed. At Hajime's tired tone, however, he hesitated. He didn't want to be a source of annoyance. "I'm sorry, I'm asking too many questions, aren't I? I'll shut up and cook instead, don't worry." He laughed nervously.

"No, I don't mind. I just have a complicated relationship with her." he sighed. "Sorry for being so cranky."

"You don't need to worry! I know The effect I'll have on people, I can drive anyone..." He was about to say crazy, but that brought back a whole lot of things Nagito didn't want to think about. He awkwardly grew quiet, trying to think of more topics for questions and ignore the sudden crawl all over his skin.  
"T-then what about your parents? What are they like?" He managed, at last, sorting the clams with shaking hands.

"They're preoccupied with my sister's merits." Hajime said with a somber smile and stuck his hands down to help sort.

Right. This conversation was going beautifully already. "Then- what about a boyfriend? Since you don't have a girlfriend, I mean." It was surprisingly easy asking, considering the circumstances. Although, Nagito supposed he hadn't considered Titus a boyfriend for a long time, if at all.

"Nope. Tragically stuck cooking for myself up until now. Now I at least have a roommate." Hajime grinned, this being a much easier topic than his family.

Nagito smiled self conciously. "I hope I won't disappoint you then." He said, gathering the good clams into a bowl. "We'll get started on the curry now, and add these later." He explained, washing his hands in the tapwater.

"Gotcha. I'll start the base." he said and poured up water in a pot. "so Komaeda, what interests do you have?"

"Who? Me?" Nagito asked in confusion. When he realized that there was nobody else there Hajime could have meant, he answered reluctantly. "Well, I don't really have many interests. I like to cook, I suppose, and I find cleaning very relaxing. I'm actually very good at that. And... I like to read too, though I havent had time to indulge myself like that in a while."

"Wanna go to the library tomorrow then?" Hajime wondered lighthearted. "I can borrow a bunch of books for you if you wanna."

"Oh- you don't need to do that for me." Nagito assured, preparing their bought vegetables while Hajime got started on the curry. "You've already been so kind, Hinata-kun."

"Then borrow my library card if you wanna do it yourself. I don't think I've used it in a few years." he shrugged.

Nagito nodded then, feeling much more comfortable with this arrangement. "That is very kind of you, Hinata-kun. Please let me know if you want me to get anything for you on the way." He pushed the neatly chopped greens to the side, moving on to check on the clams before returning to the vegetables. "What are your interests then? If you don't mind me asking." He said, glancing over at Hajime.

"Well, I like baking obviously. But other than that I'm not very interesting. I'm probably one of Netflix's top consumers." he laughed awkwardly.

"I'm sure that's not true," Nagito said, amusement shining in his eyes. "I'd love to try your baking sometime. What kind of stuff do you usually watch on Netflix then?"

"Whatever they supply." he smiled. "Everything from western movies to anime."

"See I think that's interesting." Nagito said. "I can't recall the last time I watched TV, at least other than sports." Surprising exactly nobody, Titus rarely made him watch TV with him, but the few occasions they had Nagito had usually never payed attention, being too preoccupied. He liked the idea of relaxing and just watching random stuff online, even though he probably wouldn't be able to relax very much.

"Then we should have a movie marathon someday. You can use my Netflix account whenever you want too." Hajime told him brightly. "I'm considering watching The innocents."

"Sure, as long as it's not a bother to you." Nagito agreed. "I think we can add the vegetables now, and we'll add the clams once it's simmered for a little while." He put the knife he'd used in the sink to be washed, and held the cutting board with neatly cut vegetables in one hand.

"Ever considered working as a chef?" Hajime asked impressed and added the veggies and got out the rice.

Nagito smiled sheepishly. "I'm afraid I don't have the education for that. I enjoy cooking, but it's just a hobby if anything."

"If you like baking too I could probably get you a job." he offered.

Nagito's eyes widened and he grew quiet, thinking over Hajime's words. As much as he appreciated it- and he really really did- there was still...  
"I'm very honored, Hinata-kun. Please don't mistake this as me being ungrateful... It's just... I think your café would be the first place Titus would look for me. As much as you tell me I'm safe I still... I don't want to risk seeing him again." He prayed Hajime would understand and not be mad at him.

"Understandable." he smiled. "I wouldn't want to take that risk either. Especially not after what you've gone through. You could help me out before we open though with the baking if you really want to. We'll be running a ban against him through soon too. But I completely understand if you don't want to."

"No that's... I'd like that." Nagito said, feeling immense relief at having that over with. "I think staying busy would help. That's usually how I... Dealt. Before this, I mean." He leaned over to check on the stew, stirring a bit and noting the consistency.  
"I think we can add the clams soon," he said.

"Great! I'll cook the rice." Hajime said and followed suit with what he said, getting an overwhelming urge to kiss Komaeda's temple. He didn't though.

Nagito dealt with the curry, adding the clams once the mixture had thickened and stirrig while Hajime prepared and boiled the rice. They made casual conversation while they worked, mainly consisting of Nagito asking questions and Hajime sending quickfire responses. "What about the other baristas from the café the other day? Are you friends?" He asked, stirring the warm curry.

"Yeah, the girl is called Chiaki. She's a game developer. The other guy is Souda. He's been my best friend since middle school." Hajime told Nagito as he took the rice off the heat.  
"Chiaki only works at the café part-time though."

"That's so exciting!" Nagito commented earnestly. "It must be pretty amazing to have a friend you've known all the way since middle school, huh? I bet you two are really close."

"We are. If I ever get married he'll probably be my best man." Hajime smiled.

"Must be nice." Nagito said, a trace of wistfulness entering his voice. "I was homeschooled for about half of middle school, so I didn't really get to make any friends." He explained, lifting the curry off the heat. "This is about ready now." He announced.

"Great timing then, the rice is just done too." Hajime said and took a coaster and placed it on it to next set the table.

Nagito took the opportunity to look for plates and, after opening four cupboards and finding everything from candles to graters, gathered two of them to help Hajime. After the table was set, they sat and Nagito put a small portion of rice on his plate. He didn't want to risk feeling sick.  
"H-how is it?" He asked out of habit, having used the question to gather an understanding of Titus' mood before. On the rare occasions that he got positive responses, he knew he would be mostly safe for that evening.

"It tastes great! I'm glad I got to observe how you made it, I'll definitely cook it again." Hajime exclaimed after tasting a curry clam.

"I'm glad." Nagito answered honestly, taking a few bites himself. It tasted...different from when he usually made it, somehow more rich and flavourful. Though, he mused, that could probably be attributed to his calm surroundings, more than anything else. "I haven't made this in a while. It's better than I remember." He commented. "Your rice is fluffy and rich too. It's very good."

"I use rice a lot when baking traditional Japanese cakes," Hajime explained. "Although I usually sweeten the water."

"And you say you aren't interesting," Nagito said, a teasing tone creeping into his words. He surprised himself with how Normal he was being, he supposed a warm meal and good company could accomplish quite a lot. Maybe he could actually do this. Maybe he could get better.

"It's just rice Komaeda." Hajime fumbled out with words, not really used to being teased like this. "What about you?"

"Me? What do you mean, Hinata-kun?" Nagito asked, looking up at him over a spoonful of rice.

"You're great at cooking, you liar." Hajime joked. "We'll have to do this again soon."

Nagito couldn't stop a smile from tugging at his lips. "Oh- of course. I'd love to." He said, and the softness was back, making him feel weightless and lightheaded just like in the café. He wanted to shut his eyes and just enjoy it, but thought Hajime might find that strange so he tried to control himself. His smile widened at the sensation.

"Whatcha thinking about?" Hajime asked after a few minutes of comfortable silence.

Nagito flushed. "Nothing important, it's just... Do you feel it too? The... Oh, I don't know how to explain it, it's like, the air is soft. Gentle. It's really nice." He avoided Hajime's gaze. "I'm sorry, that didn't make much sense, did it?"

"Not really. But I kinda understand." he laughed softly. "It's comfortable. And I'm just happy to not have to eat alone anymore."

"Likewise. This is very nice." Nagito said, putting the last if his rice in his mouth and chewing comfortably. "So then, I must have annoyed you to death with all my questions before." He laughed. "It may be your turn, if you wish. I'll try to answer any questions to the best of my ability." He smiled softly.

"What was your childhood career aspiration?" Hajime asked, deciding to stick to safer questions.

Nagito fell silent as he thought the question over. "When I was really little I wanted to be some kind of hero. You know, like save people in distress and stuff. A Good person." He laughed. "Of course that's not a real job, so I gave up pretty quickly. Then, well, let's just say I didn't have the longest of childhoods." He said, not wanting to bring down the mood by talking about the years he spent on the streets.  
"Pretty crazy though, isn't it?" He laughed. "A hero? Me? What was I even thinking!"

"I could see you as a hero." Hajime said and eyed Komaeda carefully. "With a mask and a cape- what's your favorite color?"

"Green. Has been forever." Nagito answered immediately. "But come on, if anything you're more of the hero type. I'm more of a side kick or damsel in distress." He smiled. (You've already saved me once) He wanted to add, but didn't want to ruin the mood. He was keeping a careful hold on himself as to not ruin the mood with inappropriate comments.

"Well the sidekick is at least as important as the hero. And what purpose does a hero have without a damsel?" he grinned. "Though the damsel in distress doesn't really fit though? I mean if someone's brave and strong it's you."

Nagito snorted. "Me? Hardly. Honestly Hinata-kun, you must be joking. And anyway, being strong isn't everything you need to be a hero. Heroes are good people. So you'd be much more suited for it than me, anyhow." He laughed. "You'd probably look good in a cape, to boot."

"Making hero OC's like we were sonic the hedgehog fans." he chuckled.

Nagito laughed with him. "Okay, what did you want to do growing up then? I won't be the only one sharing my embarrassing aspirations."

"I wanted to be a pilot. Then a firefighter. Then a ballet dancer. I became a barista with half a lawyers education." he chuckled.

"Huh." Nagito said. "Those are some diverse dreams, all right. Why did you decide to study law then?" He asked, then caught himself. "Oh sorry, I'm asking the questions again, aren't I? I'll try to restrain myself." He chuckled embarrassedly.

"I don't mind. I decided to study las after my sister's divorce. Before that I was looking into becoming a pilot." he said

"Oh, I see," Nagito said. "That's why you knew so much back at the hospital. I was wondering about that. I suppose I am very lucky it worked out that way."

"I'm just happy to help" Hajime smiled and finished his bowl.

Nagito quickly finished his plate, gathering it along with Hinata's and putting both of their chopsticks inside. "Do you have a dishwasher, or should I do the dishes by hand, Hinata-kun?" He asked, preparing to get up.

"Ah, I'll help! I have to do lunchboxes for tomorrow either way." Hajime said brightly and got up from his seat too. "Thank you for helping out!"

Nagito nodded, then realized that Hajime hadn't actually answered his question. He didn't want to push, so he walked out into the kitchen himself, noting that he did not, in fact, own a dishwasher so he put the dishes in the sink. "You don't need to thank me, Hinata-kun. This is nothing in comparison for what you've done for me. I could work all my life to make it up to you, but it'd never be enough." He chuckled.

"I call bullshit." he snickered when he followed and dug out some lunchboxes from a cabinet. "How much do you want in your lunchbox?"

Nagito shrugged. "I don't really eat very much at a time, so a small portion?" He suggested, pouring warm water over the dishes.

"How much is small?" Hajime asked and began scooping up food for them both in containers.

Nagito turned and peered over his shoulder. "About half of your portion? That's enough for me." He said, watching as Hajime finished scooping his food.

"Alright. I gonna leave the rest in the fridge. I case you get hungry later you can just reheat it." he said and lidded the Tupperware. "I'll go lay out the futons."

Nagito nodded. "Please let me know if I can help." He said, but Hajime had already left the room, leaving Nagito to look around the kitchen and living room area. He noticed another picture of Hajime and his sister by a window, and a photo of a much younger version of both of them, posing with two adults. They were all wearing fancy clothes, and the children looked uncomfortable. Nagito wondered if the adults were Hajime's parents. Hajime didn't feel like a rich person, but then again appearances could be deceiving. Nagito supposed he didn't feel like one either.

"There we go. I'm gonna take a bath and head to bed because I have to get up early and bake but you may use the facilities however you'd like. The TV remote is somewhere on the couch." Hajime said, head popping out of the bedroom.

Nagito nodded. He figured he would wait for Hajime, then do the same. The day had been incredibly tiring. "I'll head to bed early too. And- if it's alright- I'd love to help you at the café in the morning. If I won't be too much in the way, that is."

"I'd love to have your assistance in the bakery." he smiled and handed Nagito a towel before slipping into the bathroom.

Nagito sat in the living room as Hajime showered, dozing and thinking over everything that had happened that day. From hazy memories of stumbling into Hajime's café, The time at the hospital and then now. Actually living with Hajime, someone so kind and benevolent Nagito was certain he must have been a Saint in his previous life, his head was spinning. He didn't know what to make of any of it.  
He bathed quickly, trying not to look at his reflection and flinching when he caught a glimpse of the ugly bruises on his skin under the water. Afterward, he collapsed onto the futon that Hajime had prepared, dressed in sweatpants and a T-shirt that must have been Hajime's, since they were slightly big.

"I'll toss your shirt in the wash overnight." Hajime said and crawled out from his futon to get the laundry started.  
"The laundry is in the foreroom of the bath." He pointed out and collected Komaeda's underwear and shirt and left to put them in the wash and selected the wash n dry program. He returned soon after and snuggled down. 

"Goodnight Komaeda."

Nagito dozed for a while after Hajime fell asleep, unable to stop his racing mind. He eventually managed to fall asleep by regulating his breathing and focusing on the steady sound of Hajime's breathing.

He fell into a deep sleep, The comfort and warmth lulling him. As usual when he slept, though, he was thrown straight into a nightmare. He was usually semi-conscious during his dreams, but since he couldn't wake up that just made it worse. He relived some of the worst moments of his life, made worse by the unnatural softness of his blanket and warmth. His body was on high alert, and interpreted anything foreign as an immediate threat. He ended up throwing off his covers and rolling off the futon in his sleep, which made him startle awake.

The first thing Nagito realized when he woke up was that he was panicking. He scuttled away from where he'd woken up, terrified his panicking might wake Titus. He managed to calm himself, only to notice that his futon was empty. Where was Titus? He must have done something wrong, that was the only conceivable reason for them to sleep separately. The thought sent another jolt of panic through Nagito. He got up unsteadily, moving toward the door. He needed to find Titus and make it right somehow, the consequences would be worse otherwise.

The stressed rustling next to Hajime woke him up because deus ex machina reasons, and while it took a while for the guy to register what was happening he was still up on his feet and slowly making his way out after Komaeda. "Komaeda? Where are you going?" he asked, sleep-drunk and mildly confused.

Nagito twirled around, startled by the sudden sound. The only logical conclusion was that Titus had called him, even though the voice didn't sound quite right. He chalked it up to panic though. "I-I'm sorry. I don't remember what I did but I'll do anything to make up for it- please. I'm so sorry I woke you up-" Nagito rambled, trying fruitlessly to stop his body from trembling like a leaf. The panic was making his vision blur and nausea bubble up, but he made a conscious effort not to show the extent. Hopefully, he could get away and throw up soon. If only he could placate Titus. He hoped he would be allowed to at least calm down a little.

"Komaeda, it's okay, what's wrong?" Hajime got up to him, about to touch him before he stopped himself. "Come with me to the kitchen?"

Nagito trembled, and in his dazed state wondered why on earth Titus used his last name. Or talked to him calmly and without touching him for that matter. Maybe this was somehow part of his punishment. Titus moved past him and opened the door to the hallway, and Nagito squeezed his eyes shut at the harsh light of a streetlight outside. He followed Titus closely as they walked out of the bedroom, keeping his eyes half closed and navigating the apartment as best he could with his blurry vision and racing heart. Titus stopped to wait for him a few times, and Nagito always prepared to be yelled at for being a crazy person or to hurry the fuck up, but nothing happened. The silence was almost eerier.

"Sit down, I'll make you some tea." Hajime said softly and put on the water boiler and took out his box of tea leaves and put some in the strainer. As soon as the tea was done he poured it up and sat across from Nagito.  
"Komaeda, do you know where you are?"  
He'd finally gotten that Nagito was probably really out of it.

Nagito swallowed. The quiet, mellow atmosphere was worse than just being hit. At least he usually knew what Titus wanted, but now he couldn't even begin to guess. His body was clamoring for the familiarity of Titus' harsh words and blows. He knew how to prepare for that.  
He realized Titus had asked him a question and looked up fearfully. "I... In your apartment. Right?" He wondered if maybe it had been a trick question. Maybe he wasn't supposed to answer. He wound his arms around himself, feeling a little solace from the pain that blossomed when he put pressure on his bruises.

"Yeah. Do you recognize who I am?" Hajime asked, heart aching for Komaeda and laid out his hand on the table and pushed Komaeda's cup of tea closer to him.

Nagito eyed the cup, not daring to pick it up with his trembling hands. His mind was racing. "Y-yes of course." He swallowed. Better to confront it now and get some straight answer. "Titus, what's- what's going on? Please, tell me what I did wrong so I can atone I- I can't-" He squeezed his arms tighter, breath hitching from the feeling. He felt like he might throw up any moment, and the bright light from outside hurt his eyes even though Titus hadn't turned on a light.

"Komaeda, you didn't do anything wrong," Hajime said softly and got up and crouched in front of Nagito, carefully placing a hand on his knee. "I'm not Titus, Komaeda. I'm Hinata, Hajime Hinata. Take a closer look?" he asked, not daring to put any force into his voice or actions. "Are you okay?"

"W-what do you mean, Titus? I don't know that name p-please." Nagito stuttered. His breathing got erratic and he began to see black spots dancing in front of his eyes. A strange pressure sat in his temple, and Nagito knew he wasn't far from fainting now. "Titus please- just- you should- go back to bed. Let me calm down- please. I'm- I'm sorry I woke you."

"Nagito, can I call you Nagito? Breathe, please? I don't mind. Please tell me how I can help you." he murmured and quickly removed his hand from Komaeda's knee when his panic worsened.  
"Please look at me, Ko- Nagito?"

Nagito tried to obey, digging his fingers into his sides to ground himself better. He forced himself to calm down, squeezing his eyes shut and taking a big gulp of air, almost choking in the process. The nausea was almost overwhelming at this point, and he was terrified he might throw up. In a desperate effort to achieve Something (His brain was so muddled he thought he might be hallucinating at this point) He reached out and grabbed ahold of the first thing he could find, which happened to be Titus's hand, still extended in the air in front of him. He held it tightly, getting a small amount of solace from the control. He was so gone he didn't even consider the repercussions.

"Good, thank you Komaeda." Hajime praised with a voice as soothing as he could muster, at stroking his hand with his thumb. "And breathe out in seven." he encouraged and began counting.

Nagito gripped Titus' hand as he tried to regulate his breathing. His lungs burned, but he forced himself to slow down, taking big gulps of air when Titus stroked his hand. His hearing cleared somewhat and he could hear his own raspy breathing, but also a soft voice. It... Didn't sound like Titus. The voice was unknown and scared him, but it was also soothing. A strange combination. Nagito slowly opened his eyes properly and came face to face with green eyes in the light from the street outside. He inhaled sharply in confusion, then coughed as The air irritated his throat.

"Komaeda, can you breathe with me?" Hajime urged, wanting the choppiness of Komaeda's breathing to smooth out. "Do you know who I am?"

Nagito tried to remember, but his mind was muddled and the light was too dim to see properly. Though, the touch on his hand was familiar. He still felt scared, but made an effort to follow the person's instructions. It was clear to him now that whoever it was wasn't Titus, but that just made him more anxious. "W-where's Titus? Where am I?" He managed to mumble between breathing.

"I'm Hajime Hinata, from HOPE coffee. You're in my apartment because we've got you safely away from your abusive boyfriend," he said calmly. "Don't worry, I haven't done anything to you."

Nagito breathed shakily. That sounded familiar, and he recognized the feeling of Hinata-kun's hand in his just like in the supermarket-  
Hinata-kun.  
He remembered. Well, he remembered some things. Enough to know that Hinata-kun was a good person. Someone who had done so much for him and received only trouble in return. "Hinata-kun..." Nagito mumbled slowly. "I-I'm sorry- I remember. You're Hinata-kun. You saved me."

"Yeah. Just continue to breathe Komaeda, you're safe here. Take the time you need." he murmured and stood up. "I'll reheat your tea for you."

Nagito grabbed for his hand before he could pull it away. "No- no don't. Stay, please." He held Hajime's hand gingerly, having regained composure enough to realize that his vice grip had probably hurt. "I- You're soft. So stay." He offered no further explanation, merely looking down into his lap and waiting to be rejected. He already regretted speaking up, Hajime was a good person. He shouldn't have to deal with someone as clingy and awful as Nagito.

"Okay, no problem." He smiled gently at him and sat back down on the floor. "Want to tell me what your favorite animal is?" Hajime asked, making light conversation.

Nagito sighed softly as Hajime began rubbing his hand again. "I...it's dogs. I used to have one when I was little, but it died in an accident."

"Dogs are cute. What's your favorite breed?" he wondered, writing the Kanji for calm with his thumb in Komaeda's palm.

Nagito gave a little chuckle. "Actually I'm not sure. I can't remember if my parents ever told me what breed Lucky was. I was so small when she died, and I don't have any pictures. Sometimes I worry I might completely forget her and the others."

"Then maybe you can get a new dog in the future?" he suggested. "Maybe a therapy dog would be a good idea?"

"Maybe" Nagito agreed listlessly. "I wouldn't want to put any dog through that though. I mean, I can't even take care of myself." He loosened the grip he had on his side for emphasis, and his fingers came away red where his nails had dug into his skin. Nagito gave a dark chuckle.

"Let's wash that, yeah?" Hajime said with a slight frown. "To prevent infections?"

Nagito nodded obediently, moving to stand on shaky legs. "Where do you keep first aid supplies, Hinata-kun?" He asked, only slightly shakily. He was feeling a bit dizzy, but fine considering the circumstances. He never calmed down this quickly on his own, Hajime must have helped more than Nagito had initially thought.

"In the bathroom, c'mon, let's go together." he sid and stood up to aid Komaeda to the bathroom. "Wanna talk about what happened?" he asked once deeming him calm enough.

Nagito shrugged. "I had nightmares and woke up to a panic attack. It's not unusual. Titus is usually drunk when he goes to sleep, so I guess I didn't think it would wake you. I can sleep on the couch from now on, that way I won't wake you."

"It's okay Komaeda, I don't mind. These things happen. If anything you deserve to get help through these things." Hajime said and dug out the rubbing alcohol.

Nagito thought for a moment. "I think I got scared because I woke up and couldn't find Titus. It's only been a couple of times he's been mad enough to make me sleep on the couch or the floor but when I woke up alone I just...assumed I'd misbehaved somehow." He said at last, thinking back on how scared he'd been earlier.

"I see. How do I help you the best when these things happen?" He asked, cleaning Nagito's arms as the other was seated on the bathtub's edge, and then bandaged him up.  
Nagito considered that as Hajime bandaged his wounds. "I guess... I'm used to waking up and calming down on my own, so you don't really need to do anything." He quieted, figuring that wouldn't satisfy Hajime. "I suppose talking is good. Remind me where I am, I guess. Touching too, as long as you can make sure I'm at least somewhat aware. I'm not...good with touching when I'm not expecting it. But I think your touch calms me down, so." Nagito tried to speak clearly, but he couldn't stop from blushing slightly at the awkward situation. He was aware of how strange he sounded, but he couldn't really explain himself better. He still hadn't figured out a better word for Hajime than "soft".

"Gotcha," Hajime affirmed. "+10 in panic attack resistance to both of us." he joked. "With a bonus of 25 XP and that gives us both a level up. High five?" he wondered and held up his hand, making sure to not raise his arm.

Nagito gave a soft smile. "I didn't know you were a nerd, Hinata-kun." He commented, glad to have moved on from the subject.  
He raised his hand drowsily to accept Hajime's high five.

Hajime softly pressed his hand to Nagito's and got up. "Do you want your tea or should we go back to sleep?" he asked and helped Komaeda up.

Nagito shuddered a bit at that. "I... don't think I'm ready to go back to sleep." He said, not wanting to admit that he usually didn't at all after an attack. He'd wait out the hours to dawn by cleaning their apartment or something similar and soundless until Titus woke up. "You can go though if you're tired. I'll be fine alone."

"I'll stay up with you, at least for a little while." he promised and so they headed out to the kitchen and Hajime reheated the tea for them. "Couch or table?"

"Couch" Nagito suggested timidly, grabbing their cups and carrying them out in the living room. The room was dark and silent, save for the muffled sounds of the streets outside the windows. The living room was bathed in the dusk, lit up by the moon and the lights outside the windows. It gave it a somewhat eerie feeling, though Nagito didn't mind.  
He sat down on the couch, cradling his cup and waited for Hajime.

Hajime soon cuddled up in the corner opposite of Komaeda and took his own cup. "So Komaeda, how old are you?"

Nagito looked at him in surprise. Right. They had never actually exchanged ages. "I'm 22. My birthday is in April, so I just turned. What about you, Hinata-kun?"

"I'm 24. My birthday is on new years eve, so I got lucky." he grinned. "What's your favorite food?"

Nagito shrugged. "Well when I was little I always liked it when my mother bought Sakuramochi for me. I haven't had it in years though, so I guess it might not count. I eat mostly anything, really." He answered airily.

"Ah. Personally, I don't like sakuramochi, I personally like kusamochi better." Hajime said. "I'll have to make both next new years then."

"Kusamochi? I don't think I've tried it. I'm sure it's great though." Nagito said softly. Then the other thing Hajime'd said caught up with him. "N-next new years? You... You'd want me around for something like that?"

"Of course! But it's up to you if you wanna be around. I'd love to have you though." he smiled and took a sip of his tea to hide the flush spreading across his face.

"Oh-" Nagito said quietly. "To think... Of course I'd love to. I've... Never been invited to anything like that before. Thank you, Hinata-kun." His cheeks were red, but he hoped the poor lighting hid it well enough.

"It's my pleasure." he hummed. The two made small talk until Hajime finished his tea and fell asleep soon after

The hot tea lulled Nagito into a dreamless sleep, and he managed to get through the entire night without more nightmares. It was the best night's sleep he'd had in far too long, maybe even in years.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh wow, already over 100 hits and the fic has barely been up two days. Thanks, everyone!
> 
> Have this more light-hearted chapter as a reward <3

Hajime woke up with the early sunrise at 3.30, hurrying to shut off his alarm and went to wake Komaeda.  
"Good morning sleepy head," He said softly. " Do you wanna come to the bakery with me today?"

Nagito woke blearily from his curled up position on the couch. He yawned once, pushed his white hair out of his eyes, and met Hajime's gaze.  
"Right- I'll be up right away." He mumbled, rubbing his eyes. His head felt heavy and his limbs were numb from sleeping in his position, but he figured he'd be back to normal after he'd be allowed to wake up a bit.

"You don't have to if you don't wanna," Hajime told him and went to put on rice for a quick breakfast before they left. "Don't forget your clothes in the dryer."

"No I- 'm coming," Nagito assured, forcing himself to get off the sofa. He felt a bit better after changing, though soon realized that Hajime didn't own a hair brush. His own was of course back at Titus' apartment, and his hair was a crow's nest.  
After lamenting for a few seconds he ended up finding a hair tie behind a bottle of shampoo and tied his hair into a bun. It was too messy, even to be labled a messy hair bun, but it was better than nothing. When he exited the bathroom he smelled coffee in the air and thanked the gods. Maybe that would help him wake up a bit.

"I don't know if you like coffee but I made enough for the both of us," Hajime said as Nagito joined him in the kitchen. "There's rice in the rice cooker too."

"I could definitely use a cup of coffee right now," Nagito assured, pushing away a few stray strands of hair. "Hinata-kun, you wouldn't happen to have a hair brush, do you? Mine is at my old apartment and my hair is a disaster." He said, glowering at one strand which made its way onto his nose. He flicked it discontentedly.

"I don't think so.. Let's buy one on our way to the bakery?" he suggested. "I might have a comb somewhere though."

"I doubt we'll find a store open at-" Nagito glanced at the clock, "-3.40 am. Don't worry, I put it up so it's not in the way. Not that I'm especially pleasing to look at either way." He looked down at his marred arms with thinly veiled disgust.  
"In any case, I'll set the table," Nagito announced, fetching two bowls from a cupboard and moving to get chopsticks for them.

"Thank you." Hajime smiled. "I'll try to locate my comb." he smiled and disappeared into the bathroom only to emerge victorious in his search. "This is all I got. You can borrow it how much you want. It wasn't exactly expensive."

Nagito accepted it gratefully. He pulled out the hair bun, quickly using the bathroom mirror to at least somewhat tame his hair.  
It still looked godawful by itself, but getting it into a presentable ponytail was much easier. Nagito was a little disconcerted that it left his neck mostly exposed, but reasoned that he would be wearing a jacket most of the time outside anyway. When he was satisfied he joined Hajime at the table. ¨  
"Thank you for letting me borrow the comb. It made my hair at least mostly presentable." Nagito said, picking up his chopsticks with a small smile.

"I think you look good," Hajime said, though he heartily acknowledged that his opinion wasn't really valid. He'd never had high standards regarding looks.

Though offhanded, Hajime's words made a pleasant feeling stirred in Nagito's gut. It had been far too long since anyone, even Titus had given him a compliment, even if it was something stupid about his hair.  
"Thank you, Hinata-kun. Then I'm glad." He said softly, taking a big gulp of coffee to hide his red cheeks.

"Sadly you're gonna have to use a hair net in the kitchen though." he smiled apologetically and began eating.

"Of course. I wouldn't want to ruin any of your creations." Nagito agreed, also digging into their breakfast.

After eating and doing the dishes the two put on jackets (Nagito got to borrow one since his Green hoodie was back at the café) and stepped out into the crisp morning air.  
Any tiredness left in Nagito's body left him when he was doused in the cold air. The coffee had certainly helped, but he realized there was a special kind of giddyness that hit only when you were alone outside, knowing you might be the only person in the neighborhood awake. It was a nice feeling.  
As they started their walk toward the café, Nagito decided to see if he could get away with asking some more questions. "Do you usually get up this early, Hinata-kun?" He asked, looking up at the rising sun in the sky.

"Yeah. I'm the one responsible for baking the treats we sell at the café. We open up at six and close again at half past seven so that people can buy bread. Then we open at eight again so we're in time for the morning rush." he explained. "You get used to it after a while."

"That must be hard work," Nagito commented. "It's difficult to imagine you went to school for law. I mean, it sounds like you're a brilliant baker. Maybe you should leave the courtroom stuff to your sister and open a bakery." He said, laughing slightly.

"Mayhaps." he chuckled. "I mean I get mad guns from carrying all that flour, here, feel." he snickered and flexed.

Nagito carefully put his hand on Hajime's arm, trying to keep from laughing. "I cannot believe you used the phrase "mad guns". I don't think I can ever forgive you, Hinata-kun."

"Psh! Don't worry, once you to get on the protein you'll get the lingo." he joked, the crisp spring air just raising his mood further.

Nagito couldn't remember the last time he'd laughed this much. Hajime truly was something else. "Hajime Hinata you sound like an old man trying to sound "hip". Please, for the sake of the world, stop this at once." He teased, tugging playfully at Hajime's arm, where he was still holding.

"But why? Am I not cool enough? Do I have to buy a vape and whatever more kids are on about these days to get your approval?" he laughed back with mock offense.

Nagito trembled with laughter at this point. "Stop- stop I can't take it. This is too awful for words." He wheezed, using his hand on Hajime's arm for support. "You're two years older than me! You're not THAT old!"

"Rude. You know, back in MY day you kids had respect for your elders!" he continued, happy to make Komaeda so happy.

"This is awful! What will I have to do to make you stop?" Nagito wailed playfully, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes.  
"Do you want me to beg? I'll get on my knees if that's what it takes!" He decreed between bouts of laughing. The strange, floaty feeling in his chest only grew in intensity. Nagito couldn't remember a time when he'd had this much fun before.

"Hmm.." Hajime thought for a while. "How about helping me plow my fields? You know, my back hurts so much and my joints ache with age, I need a young'in like you to help me out."

Nagito wheezed again, laughing so hard his chest hurt. "Okay- which is it?" He managed when he'd gotten his laughter under control. "-Are you super buff or 80 years old?"

"How about both?" he suggested. "I got all of my wrinkles smoothed out with plastic surgery. Dermatologists hate me."

"Then you wouldn't need my help with anything!" Nagito argued. "Not to mention the money any 80-year old who looked as good as you would make from talkshows alone. You wouldnt even need to work. Really, needing my "Help on the fields" is bullshit."

"Shh.. It's just to keep up my image." wait he thinks I look good? Probably just for an 80-year-old. That didn't stop Hajime from flushing beet red though.

Nagito decided to play along for a bit. They were almost at the café now, but both were too wrapped up in their banter to notice. "Sure, sure. In my opinion though, I'd be of much more use as help around the house. I could cook and clean for you when you get home from working in the fields." He started laughing again. The mental images that brought forward were too hilarious.

"Would you welcome me home too? Welcome back! What would you like first, a bath, dinner or me?" he quoted every hentai ever.

Nagito turned bright red immediately. "T-that's... That's not what I meant!" He insisted. But... Something was different. Somehow, Hajime's flirtig (because that must have been what it was, right? At least joke-flirting) felt flattering and sweet, as opposed to pressuring. 

It reminded him of the early days with Titus, sitting on his lap or cuddling close as he listened to Titus whisper to him how good he looked, how adorable he was and-  
Nagito pushed the thought aside, focusing on the pleasant warmth in his chest rather than the memory. He wanted to go back and capture the happiness he'd been experiencing before, laughing at Hajime's jokes without as much as thinking about Titus. It was...kind of amazing how he'd managed that, come to think of it. 

"I might have welcomed you, if you didn't say that," He continued with a small smile.  
"I'm very dainty you know, Hinata-kun. Such vulgarities are too much for me to hear."  
He made his voice quiver with mock distress. "Honestly, you're a terrible employer."

"Oh no I didn't think of that! Please don't report me to HR!" Hajime plead. "However shall I regain my welcome home?" he pretend - sniffled

Nagito crossed his arms petulantly, happy to let Hajime distract him with the teasing.  
"You'll have to find a way to make it up to me, I guess."  
He looked up, noticing HOPE'S coffee up ahead. They were almost there now. Nagito was a bit sad that the walk was over, but then again he was looking forward to having Hajime show him how to bake. 

"How about I let you eat the sweets that don't turn out so well?" Hajime bribed and fished out his keys.

"Hmm..." Nagito said, pushing past Hajime and entering the café before he had the chance.  
A second later, a somewhat bewildered Hajime pushed the door open, being greeted as Nagito made a flamboyant bow and uttered a "Welcome home, Honey." He looked up, meeting Hajime's gaze for all of two seconds before his composure dissolved into laughter again.  
"C-consider your bribe accepted," He said between bouts, clutching his stomach.

Hajime sputtered out a complaint about it not being fair and headed off into the back, head bent down shyly before tossing an apron in Komaeda's general direction before composing himself. ¨  
"So! We start with the cheesecakes, then the yeast doughs and lastly the cornbread," he instructed and put his hair in a bakers cap and began rummaging out huge bowls.

Nagito wrestled with a hair net for a moment, finally managing to tame his white curls, whereupon he dressed in the apron and followed Hajime.  
"Right. How can I help then, Hinata-kun?" He asked, a thought on what a terrible housewife he'd be if he didn't know how to bake crossing his mind and making him smile widely with amusement.

"There are store-supplied recipes on the iPad over there. In notes. The passcode is 11037."  
Hajime instructed and began digging out all ingredients and the industrial scales.  
"Alright, let's get started?" he asked and plugged in the giant dough hooks in the industrial mixer.

Baking was a lot like cooking, Nagito found out. Granted, he should have probably guessed, but still. He wasn't completely terrible at it, though Hajime did the majority of the difficult parts. Altogether it was an enjoyable experience, and Nagito hoped he'd be allowed to accompany Hajime more times.

When the café opened at 6, Hajime occasionally moved to greet customers and take orders, leaving Nagito alone in the kitchen. Hajime never tried to pressure him to take the front desk, which Nagito was immensely grateful for, and he tried to make up for it by working harder in response. When the clock struck 7.30 they both collapsed on the sofa in the staff room, exhausted by the morning's work.

"Komaeda---" Hajime whined. "We have cinnamon buns to roll out..." He groaned, flinging one arm over his warm face.

Nagito caught his breath. "Want me to take care of it? Can't be too difficult, right?" Despite his body's wishes, he got up, stretching his sore arms. Hajime hadn't been kidding. Working in a bakery was tougher than he'd thought.

"I'll help." he sighed and reluctantly got up.  
"Cinnamon roll time. So who's the cinnamon roll who could actually kill you?"

Nagito looked at him confusedly.  
"Was... That a sentence, Hinata-kun?" He put his hand to Hajime's temple worriedly. "Hmm... You're not warm enough to be speaking gibberish, I think. What did you mean?"

"This is the one who looks like a cinnamon roll and is an actual cinnamon roll," Hajime said and headed out the large, heavy dough on the baking table. "Let's go."

That did exactly nothing to alleviate Nagito's confusion, but he took a piece of dough and began to roll it out as Hajime showed him anyhow.  
"You really do all of this work by yourself every day?" Nagito asked as they worked. "That must be really tough."

"Told ya. This is how I got /these guns/" he grinned and flexed again before properly rolling out the dough.  
"It's great because I can eat as much as I want when I'm working here." Hajime grinned and fetched the bowl of filling, spreading it outover the the dough.

"I thought we were done with this." Nagito lamented, helping Hajime spread out the filling. "What else do we need to get done before the café opens again?" He asked, neatly spreading the filling over the dough.

"We just have to bake the last yeast doughs and then we need to put them out up front on display," Hajime told him.  
"If you do that after I'll check the bean supplies. We're going to get a new order of beans today." He told Nagito and they rolled the long dough out.

"Alright. That doesn't sound terribly difficult. Nagito agreed.  
It wasn't either and by the time Hajime came back from checking their supplies, Nagito had just finished with the last dough. He stretched his arms, feeling proud he'd done so much. He hadn't been completely terrible either.

"Thank you Komaeda! You've been a huge help today!" he sighed happily and then the truck arrived outside with sacks of coffee beans. "Ready to really get rrrrripped?" Hajime asked and wiped his doughy hands on his apron.

Nagito laughed tiredly, feeling a bit lightheaded from all the work. He was too tired to come up with a witty comeback, settling for a "Whatever you say, Hinata-kun." As the pair walked outside to carry the beans inside.

"Make sure you lift with your legs so you don't break your back," he said and signed the waver that he'd gotten the delivery and bent down to pick up one sack.

"Thank you for the sage advice," Nagito said breathlessly as he bent down to pick up the first sack. "These... Are quite heavy." He observed, dragging it behind him back inside.

"They smell incredibly good though." Hajime grunted, sweating heavily as they dragged in the sacks.

They eventually managed to get everything inside, and Nagito panted heavily by the time Hajime pulled the final one inside.  
"I don't... Understand... How you.... Do this.... Every day-" He panted, wiping his sweaty brow with the back of his hand. His body felt weak and spent, as if he'd been working out. He grimly noted that he had terrible constitution, which he supposed was to be expected.

"Practice makes perfect." he sighed contently. "But now we're done. Here, stick a hand down and feel them." He said and ripped open the Arabica bean sack.

Nagito looked at him a bit strangely, but moved over and complied nonetheless. "What's so special about coffee beans, Hinata-kun? " He asked before lowering his hands, enjoying the strong smell of coffee as it permeated the air.

"They're just nice. I wouldn't mind filling a stress ball with coffee beans," he said and swirled his hand around.

Nagito did the same, marveling at the feeling. It did feel good, in a strange way. He couldn't help himself letting out a small chuckle.  
"Yeah, it feels nice. Wow." He looked up at Hajime, letting his arm stop and simply lie amongst the coffee beans.

"Hinata-kun, thank you for today." He said, at last, feeling embarrassment color his cheeks. "It... I haven't had this much fun in... Years. Possibly ever." He admitted reluctantly, hoping he wasn't coming on too strong. He really did want to thank Hajime, this was the only way he knew how.

"I'm glad you like it. Will you join me tomorrow too?" he asked

"If I'm not too much in the way, I'd like that," Nagito admitted carefully. He brought up his hands from the bean bag, wiping them of non-existent dust on his apron.

"Quite the contrary. You were a huge help today." He said gratefully. "I'm not gonna ask you to man the counter but maybe you'd like to help keep us stocked in the back?"

"I think I could do that." Nagito agreed. "When will your colleagues join us? I assume you're not supposed to be the only one working today."

"Yeah, they're joining us at eight when the morning rush comes. They should be here anytime soon," he told him and slumped down on the couch

Nagito followed him, sitting down gingerly and letting his arms fall into his lap.  
"Do you...want me to be here then? I mean, I'd totally understand if you didn't, you don't have to worry about my feelings or anything. I know I'm not exactly...pleasant to be around most of the time and I wouldn't want to cause problems for you or your friends. I'm sure you're all good people."

"We wouldn't mind. I told you that you could man the back if you wanted?" Hajime reminded him.

"Right," Nagito said somewhat embarrassedly. "Then, I look forward to meeting them." He forced an accommodating smile, trying to quench the anxiety that came whenever he thought of meeting Hajime's friends. He really didn't want to make a bad impression on them, though he reasoned that was probably unavoidable with the way he was. Just because Hajime seemed to have the patience of a saint didn't mean they would be so forgiving, after all.

"You don't have to if you don't want to you know? It's just a suggestion so you won't have to walk home alone." Hajime said. "My friends are pretty cool. Souda might be a bit impatient but Nanami is chill."

"It's fine, Hinata-kun. I look forward to meeting them." Nagito repeated. Hajime's expression told him that wouldn't be satisfying though, so he continued. "Really, I'm just...nervous, I guess. But I'll have to talk to strangers eventually anyway, right? It's not like I can live my whole life and only know you, Hinata-kun. You'd get tired of me immediately." He laughed, leaning back into the couch slightly.

"Maybe that but I'd put up with you until it's fun again." he smiled. "Everyone has ups and down. I don't think I'd get too tired though."

Nagito shrugged in response. "I don't understand how you can be so nice all the time, Hinata-kun. Doesn't it get tiring? Isn't it tempting to treat me like someone like me deserves instead?" He asked, pushing a few locks of hair out of his eyes so he could peer at Hajime from across the sofa.

"So you mean with the utmost respect? No, not really," he said and closed his eyes. "You're a cool guy Nagito, you're fine."

"You're doing it again!" Nagito muttered. He shook his head, looking down at the ground. "No wonder you have so many friends. You're amazing, Hinata-kun."

"Not especially." he laughed awkwardly.

Nagito sensed the shift in mood and immediately worried he'd said something wrong. He didn't think so, but then again he usually didn't catch himself before saying "crazy" stuff, so it wouldn't be surprising. He wanted to apologize but didn't want to make the situation worse so instead resolved to think more carefully about what he said from then on, and fell silent, almost dozing off on the couch.

Souda was a loud person. And even louder at a quarter to eight in the morning when rushing into work to set up the shop. "Morning Hajime!"

Nagito jolted awake as the punk looking guy burst into the room. Hajime merely looked up, apparently used to the commotion.

It didn't take long for Souda to notice Nagito occupying the couch beside Hajime, and as Nagito found himself at the center of attention, he squirmed and gave an awkward wave.

"This is that guy!" Souda exclaimed in surprise. "Hi, how are you? I'm Kazuichi Souda, best friend of Hajime since middle school, nice to meet you." he grinned widely.

Nagito got up from the sofa and stood in front of Souda awkwardly. His heart pounded, but he forced an easy smile. (Come on, don't fuck this up already.)

"Hello. My name is Nagito Komaeda." He said casually. "I... I guess you could call me Hinata-Kun's roommate? At least for the time being. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Cool! Great to see the guy finally not sulking alone." he joked. "So are you here to help out?"

"I- yes. Feel free to yell at me if I end up being in the way through." Nagito said, chuckling.

"I'll probably yell at you but not for that reason." he excused. I'll be on cleaning duty today. "

"I see. Well then, Souda-san. Can I call you that? It'll be a pleasure working with you, I'm sure." Nagito said awkwardly. He didn't know what else to say, and hoped Hajime would interject and save him.

"Likewise." Kazuichi grinned.  
"Well, Komaeda, should I show you where everything is?"

Nagito nodded gratefully, following Souda as he showed him around the cafe.  
By the time the clock struck 8 and Hajime left to open the café, Nagito's head was swimming with information. He was shown everything from supply closets to how to sort the ingredients, but also the tables where all the strangest stuff had happened. (Like that one time a girl had ordered every single type of donut they made and when she realized they only had one kind, she pouted and ordered 20. Hajime's had to step away to make a new batch after she'd gotten her order.) 

Souda was just pointing out the table where one guy had come in, ordered a single coffee, complained about it for 20 minutes, and then promptly began to flirt with literally everyone in the vicinity ("including me, ugh that guy was a weirdo" Souda recanted,) when the door opened again and a pink haired girl entered with a Nintendo Switch in one hand. She held it up as she walked and almost bumped into a table as she made her way over.

"Good morning and welcome to the real world, Nanami!" Hajime greeted teasingly. "You'll be manning the counter with me today."

Chiaki looked up drowsily, noticing Hajime and giving him a wave with her console.  
"Just need to finish this shrine..." She mumbled, resuming her button mashing.  
Nagito eyed her curiously, wanting to speak up but also not wanting to disturb. This must be Chiaki Nanami then, Hajime's other friend and workmate.

"By all means take your time, but we have to open in five," he said and went into the back to get some change for the cash register.

Three minutes later, Chiaki pumped her fist in the air triumphantly and put down her Switch. She yawned and turned around, first now noticing Souda and Nagito.  
For a moment, her eyes went wide with surprise and recognition, but then she collected herself and walked over.

"Hello, I don't think we've met. My name is Chiaki Nanami, I'm an employee here." She held out her hand which Nagito shook hesitantly. He introduced himself, explaining that he lived with Hajime and was there to help out.

"Komaeda? We're opening now." Kazuichi called out to warn him, Hajime having explained the situation further to him.

Nagito nodded and quickly made his way into the back. A few minutes later, the first customer arrived and he could hear muddled voices as Chiaki took his order. Much of the morning progressed similarly, Nagito hiding in the back whenever a new customer appeared, making sure the desserts and machines were always stocked.  
It was a bit repetitive at times, but Chiaki, Kazuichi or Hajime would often make small talk with him when there were no customers, and it worked to keep his mind out of the more darker places. All in all, Nagito found it to be a pretty enjoyable experience.

\---

It wasn't until after ten that trouble stirred and a hungover Titus showed up.  
"Hello handsome~," the sleezebag said honey sweet to Hajime as he came up to place his order.

Hajime's first thought was of Nagito, but a quick glance over his shoulder assured him he wasn't visible. Hajime didn't know if he'd heard Titus, he hoped not. He'd only now gotten Nagito to feel somewhat safe outside their apartment, and he didn't want that ruined by this asshole.  
He met the man's gaze darkly, wanting to take his order and get him out as soon as possible.  
"That will be 400 yen." He said curtly, preparing the card drawer so Titus could pay for his coffee.

"And how much for your number?" Titus flirted unabashedly and dug out his own card.

Hajime suppressed a shudder.  
"All to your respect, I am not interested in you in any way. Please make your order and stop acting this unprofessionally." He said, making his voice as cold as possible. It was all he could do not to straight up punch this asshole in the face. God knew he deserved it, after what he'd put Nagito through.

"Awe c'mon don't be sucking a killjoy." Titus drawled, drumming one of his hands on the countertop. "Though- maybe you can at least help me in another way, hm? I'm looking for Nagito, my boyfriend." Titus got a distant look in his eyes, glancing down and looking both worried and hurt.

His ability to put on a show made Hajime sick to the stomach. If he hadn't seen the state of Nagito the morning prior, he would have totally fallen for this creep's act.

"He seemed to like it here, can't imagine why." Titus continued on. "He seemed to want nothing but to go home yesterday." He gave Hajime a lazy smile, making the hairs on his arms stand on their ends. "You know how it is. I'm just wondering if you're attentive as well as pretty. Maybe you've seen him?"

Hajime clenched his fist so hard his palm hurt. "Oh, you mean your Boyfriend? I Haven't seen him since you came in last. Shouldn't you be flirting with him?"

Titus shrugged with a lazy grin. "Nagito doesn't mind," he assured Hajime. "He knows he can't be picky, anyhow. Besides, I've been looking for someone a bit more...feisty. With some bite to them, you know? Someone a bit more responsive."  
He gave Hajime a suggestive look, making his heart pound in his chest. Hajime hadn't been so disgusted and afraid in his life. He wished nothing more than for Titus to fuck the hell off.  
Besides, there was always the risk of Nagito coming back, something Hajime wouldn't want to risk. He wouldn't hesitate to get in a fight with this disgusting asshole, but he'd much rather get Titus out before it could come to that.

"Well like I said earlier I am not interested," Hajime repeated, praying Titus would get the hint and leave them the fuck alone.  
"Now kindly take your coffee and fuck off.", Anger and adrenaline coursed through Hajime's body, motivated by the combined desire of getting Titus out of here before he could hurt Nagito and giving the bastard a taste of his own medicine.  
How dare this asshole talk about Nagito like that? No wonder he couldn't see the good in himself.

"Whoa there. I said I Like someone with a little bit but you're giving me a lot here," he said and tried punching in his code in the receptor.  
"Sorry I don't get what's wrong here," He said smarmily, glaring down angrily.  
"Unless that useless mutt overdrew out the bank account."

Right. They had blocked his card. Hajime couldn't help feeling a bit smug. "Sir, if you can't pay for your coffee, I am going to have to ask you to leave."  
Titus glared up at him, leaning over the counter and close enough that Hajime could feel the bitter smell of alcohol on his breath. He swallowed but refused to back up or show any weakness. This bastard wasn't getting anything from him.

"Gimme a sec I'll be right back to pay." he sighed and stepped aside for the next customer.

Hajime kept his eye on Titus as he stepped aside, even as he stepped away to brew a mocha frappuccino for the lady who had just come in. A glance to his right told him Chiaki was also on alert, something he was grateful for. He didn't know how he'd reacted if he'd been alone.

"Toss the coffee, the bitch froze our account," he growled. "You know where he is, don't you?"

Hajime breathed in deeply before replying.  
"I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. Now, If you do not leave this establishment I will call the police. Between you loitering and coming onto me in an incredibly inappropriate manner, I have more than enough grounds to press charges for harassment."

Titus gave a frustrated sigh and stormed out, Hajime suspecting this wouldn't be the last he saw of him. It didn't stop him from hoping though.

Chiaki came up behind Hajime, touching his shoulder to get his attention. "Was that who I think it was?" She asked, following Titus with her gaze as he continued along the pavement outside.

"Doucheface? Yeah. Toss his coffee I don't want anything to do with him." he shuddered before taking the next person's order.

Chiaki complied, giving Nagito a concerned look as he briefly emerged to restock the cinnamon rolls. When he returned to the back, she turned to Hajime again. "Are you going to tell him?" She asked.

"Maybe later today when we get home I'll tell him." he sighed.  
"I just want him to have a good day now so he feels safe.

"Alright, that sounds like a good idea, I think." She thought for a moment.  
"And what about him then? Are you going to press charges?"

"It's not enough. The surveillance cameras don't exactly record audio. Besides, I'm saving up for a bigger lawsuit." he said and nodded backward.

"That's true." Chiaki agreed.  
"Well. Let's hope that was all the excitement we're gonna get for today." She looked up as the bell to the shop rang and a family with two young kids entered.

"Oh dear, are you going to be proposed to again?" She commented, a teasing note slipping into her voice. It had been two weeks prior, when Hajime had placated a crying young girl who had lost her mother (turned out she had gone to the bathroom and the girl hadn't seen) with a fresh cookie. The girl had then declared him her husband, much to the embarrassment of Hajime and the amusement of Chiaki and Souda.

"I think I prefer them over the sleezebag." he chuckled and greeted the customers

\---

When the clock struck two Hajime was exhausted to the point where he stumbled when walking. Working in customer service takes a toll on your feet.  
"And that's one shift over with!" He exclaimed as he dove headfirst into the couch.

Nagito joined him, leaning over the headrest of the couch and peering downwards. "Does this mean you're finished for today then, Hinata-kun?" He gave a careful smile at Hajime's exhausted expression.

"Yeah. I just have to check in with Nanami now and then," he said and turned to his back. "Wanna go home?"

Nagito thought for a moment. "If it's not too much trouble..." He trailed off but forced himself to keep talking despite his worries. "You mentioned before that we could visit the library. Could we... Stop by on the way?"

"The library? Yeah, sure! It's a bit of a detour, but yeah we could go." Hajime said, sitting up and stretching. "Oh, you know what we could do? We could read each other's favorite books!"

Nagito nodded slowly.  
"I...if you'd like to. I would be very happy to read some of your favorites, though I can understand if the sentiment isn't shared. After all, they would be recommended by someone like me." ¨  
He laughed softly, leaning on the couch as his legs were starting to feel a bit heavy from standing. 

"I wanna learn more about you though." Hajime smiled innocently and sat up and made space for Komaeda.

"If you insist then." Nagito gave in, shrugging and pushing himself away from the couch.  
"Should we get going then, Hinata-kun?" He walked around it and came to stand by where Hajime was sitting, hands in his pockets as he waited.

"Yeah. Let me just hang off my apron and stuff." he said and reached back, untied it and got up and stuffed his work clothes into a bag to take home and wash. "Let's go?"

\---

The library was only a couple of minutes walk away, and it was still early enough that the streets weren't terribly crowded. The day was sunny and all in all walking was a nice experience. Or at least, if Nagito could shake the bad feeling he had, it would have been.  
He tried to calm down, but all he could think was that he and Titus had walked this exact road last time he was here. He could sense something was wrong with Hajime too, he was acting a bit skittish, throwing glances behind him when he thought Nagito wasn't looking. He tried to ignore it, maybe that was just how Hajime normally acted and Nagito hadn't realized, but he still couldn't totally pretend everything was fine. He found himself acting just as paranoid, twitching whenever a pedestrian walked too closely or jumping at loud noises. 

"How you holding up Komaeda?" Hajime asked, nervous himself over the morning's incident. It just felt like a target had been painted on his back

"You don't need to worry, Hinata-kun. I'm just...remembering. I'll be fine." Nagito assured.  
"If anything... I'd like to ask you the same thing. Hinata-kun, did anything happen at the café earlier? You've been acting...out of character, I suppose I could say, ever since."

"Just an especially rude customer. I don't know why we'd run into him here though," he said with a shrug. "So what genres do you like?"

Nagito jumped on the distraction immediately, thinking on how to answer.  
"I suppose I prefer dystopian literature. I enjoy reading about amazingly good people who will stop at nothing to make their dreams and ideals reality. That sort of thing, you know? It's been my fascination ever since I stopped reading superhero fiction when I was small."  
He blushed, wondering if he'd said too much.

"What's yours then, Hinata-kun?" 

"I don't really read a lot. Mostly manga." he laughed awkwardly. "And then I read whichever art style I like. But when it comes to books I don't think I have a preference. Not too much romance. Historical action novels are fun." he said, thinking back to the last book he read.

Nagito raised an eyebrow.  
"That's interesting. A law student who prefers manga to books, huh? That's not something you hear every day. I've never really read manga, I suppose I never had the chance when I was younger. Maybe you could recommend some series." 

"The only dystopian manga I've read are pretty gory or harem though," he said and laughed apologetically. "You might like No. 12 though. It's Shonen Ai too."

Nagito smiled self-consciously. "Wow Hinata-kun, you sound like a proper nerd! I am sorry to say, I barely understood half of what you said though." He laughed nervously. 

"It's okay. I'll pick out a title for you." he smiled. This was nice. "I think the concept of a library is just so cool. Communist, but cool."

"I suppose I have to agree," Nagito said. ¨  
"It's reassuring to know that if you ever get bored there are hundreds of books you can read just a couple of blocks away. Honestly, it's strange that libraries aren't more popular than they are."

"The Alt right movement has broadcasted subtle messages against communism and libraries through radio waves." Hajime joked.  
"This is why we should all wear tinfoil hats out of aluminum. Protect yourself from the propaganda."

Nagito chuckled. "I suppose that tuft of hair on your head could act as your antenna. Hinata-kun, you need to be even more careful!" He reached out with one hand, shielding Hajime's forehead from imaginary radiowaves.

"Ah! My head is so much clearer now, I can--I can actually think on my own!" he exclaimed and continued the joke. "Wanna know what I'm thinking?"

Nagito made a wide-eyed look.  
"Yes, Hinata-kun. Impart your unbiased wisdom upon me! Tell me the truth that the Alt-Right movement is hiding!" At this point, he was seconds from bursting into laughter.

"Alright, here comes the sage wisdom from Hajime's brain," he said to build up just a bit more momentum. 

"I want soba."

Nagito blinked at him once, then burst out in laughter.  
"I-is that so?" He managed, still giggling between his words. "Th-thank you for telling me. This is very important news indeed." 

"Soba a- and- a- communism is bad. Lenin was a witch. Crush china's government-" He said, acting like a glitching robot before bursting out in loud laughter.

Nagito joined in, covering his mouth as he laughed. They must have looked ridiculous to the other pedestrians, stumbling down the street and laughing, but nobody paid them any mind. Nagito reflected on how he'd laughed more these two days he'd lived with Hajime than he'd probably laughed ever before.  
The thought was a bit sad, but it mostly filled him with immense gratitude and thoughts that he didn't deserve such luck and fortune.  
Still, he pushed those thoughts aside, not wanting to drag down the happy mood with his morose thoughts. He mentally berated himself for overthinking all the happy moments and turning it into a mess. 

"Ah then- should we stop and get some soba on the way to the library? We wouldn't want the communists to win, would we Hinata-kun?" Nagito added jokingly, motioning to a soba place a bit farther down the street. 

"Sounds good." he smiled, still laughing ever so slightly. "Let's get some soba to encourage capitalism."

The pair made their way over to the Soba restaurant, still stumbling a bit from laughter as they entered. It was a pretty small establishment, practically empty since the time was already 2.30 in the afternoon. Nagito hadn't been feeling particularly hungry, but he started to feel a bit peckish as the aromas of the restaurant wafted over the pair. By the glint in Hajime's eyes though, he gathered the other had been much more hungry. 

"We have lots of reject bread at home too." Hajime reminded himself but quickly scanned the menu and decided for the pork one. "Which one do you want?"

Nagito settled on a simple dish since he wasn't feeling too hungry and didn't want to wait for their food. Hajime paid for their food, and the pair chose secluded table at the back of the resturant (Or at least secluded considering the circumstances, since the restaurant only had 6 tables in total).  
"I can barely remember the last time I had soba," Nagito said as they sat down. "What about you, Hinata-kun? Do you eat it often?

"Not really. My diet mainly consists of leftover bread from the bakery. Lots of charcuterie too. The only reason I'm not fat is because I get that workout every morning." he told Nagito and happily broke his chopsticks.

"You only eat bread?" Nagito asked, leaning on one hand as he stirred his noodles. "Doesn't that get boring? Not to mention the atrocious nutritional intake it would have-" He caught himself before he could keep going because holy shit how disrespectful could he act?

Nagito quieted, looking down into his food as his cheeks burned from the mental scolding. "Sorry if I seemed rude- I didn't mean to offend or anything-" He settled on trying to laugh it off, forcing a smile and eating some noodles despite the brewing uneasiness.

"Nono, you're right. It's incredibly boring but it's economical. I don't earn a lot from working in the bakery but I do get free food so I'm able to cut down on some living expenses so it all works out in the end. It's going to be worth all of the bread in the end." he said confidently.  
"You get to build your own future but for that, I need the money. And free bread and food from the café kinda balance that out. If I'm lucky there's meat pie or something different left over too. "

Nagito nodded, relieved. "Of course." He said, smiling down into his soup.  
"You have a really...bright way of looking at the world, Hinata-kun. Has anyone ever told you that before?" 

"Nothing good ever happened when I was down all the time and saw the world bitterly so I decided to see if the world changed if I changed the way I looked at it. It's not much but a little. It's easier to live life now though." he said with a soft smile.  
"Besides I didn't really have anything significant to mope about."

The words filled Nagito with such admiration, it was just about blinding. To think, Hajime had lived in the same world he did and looked at it so differently. Nagito felt like he was looking at the sun.  
Then the moment passed, and Nagito suddenly felt awkward for staring like an idiot. Still, he couldn't resist. 

"Hinata-kun, I think it's beautiful. Your hope and goodness. To me it's...practically blinding. I'm really glad I got to meet you."  
The words turned into a mumble at the end, as Nagito didn't want them misconstrued as him "screaming crazy shit". He tried to not speak too loudly as to not embarrass Hajime as well.

"I'm really not that special but thank you anyway," Hajime said a little flushed at the praise and began eating.

Nagito looked down at his food, thinking about how sad it was that Hajime couldn't see his own radiance. Everything he'd done since they'd met had been brimming with altruism, compassion and light but Hajime wouldn't even acknowledge that he'd done something out of the ordinary. That wouldn't do. Nagito decided that, if he couldn't repay Hajime he would at least do his best to make sure Hajime understood how amazing the things he did were.  
That would have to wait though. Right now, it was time to eat soba, and enjoy more of Hajime's company.

"Damn, Japanese food is so much better than western," Hajime groaned after eating the first bite of his yakisoba.

"I'm inclined to agree," Nagito said, taking a spoonful of his soup as well.  
"You can never really go wrong with traditional, especially when your diet consists mainly of bread." He gave Hajime a smile, then quickly hid it by taking a swig of water.

"Tell me about it. I'm certain that I'll develop a gluten allergy within a year," he snickered and picked up some veggies.

Nagito smiled in response. They continued eating, a comfortable silence enveloping them whenever they didn't feel like making conversation.  
Nagito felt proud he managed to almost completely drain the soup, it was more than he'd eaten in one sitting for quite some time. That was honestly probably Hajime's doing too. He hd a knack for distracting Nagito with jokes or comments whenever he started to feel nauseous. 

Still, the rigidity in Hajime's body and the faint paranoia in his eyes was still there, even as he joked and laughed. It made Nagito feel a bit disconcerted. He didn't want to comment though, in case Hajime wanted to keep it to himself.  
"I don't believe I asked you what your favorite manga was, Hinata-kun?"  
He said instead, making small talk as he finished the last bit of soup.

"Really? I don't know. I think it's Horimiya, although it's a shoujo manga. It's just so heartwarming and funny. But I really don't know." Hajime told him, waiting for Nagito to finish his food before he wolfed down the last of his noodles.

"I suppose that's reasonable. I wouldn't know what to say if you asked about my favorite book either." Nagito confessed. "And...I admitted to reading superhero comics! You seriously don't need to be embarrassed about reading shoujo, you know." He chuckled.

"Superhero comics are good. There's a fairly new manga called My hero academia which I think you'd like." Hajime said. 

"I'll have to check both of them out," Nagito promised. "Well then, shall we head out? If we hurry we could make it back to your apartment before rush hour."  
He remembered the catastrophe that had been trying to get home the previous day. He would really like to avoid that.

"Sounds like a solid plan," he said and scooped in the last mouthful of worked veggies and soba and placed their bowls on the tray and got up. "Library next?"

The pair left the restaurant in high spirits, making casual small talk on their way toward the library. Nagito thought about what books he could borrow and felt a bit of excitement at the prospect of borrowing some of Hajime's favorites. The streets were a bit more crowded than when they'd left the cafe, but it wasn't anything Nagito couldn't handle with Hajime's help. 

"So, time to find your books!" Hajime exclaimed, albeit quietly once they stepped into the library. "Where do you wanna start?"

Nagito led Hajime to the "dystopian literature" section eagerly, scanning through titles he didn't recognize. "It's been a while since I was here." He said by way of explaination. "There are a lot of books I don't recognize." 

"That's fine, take your time," he said and began browsing the titles himself.

In the end, Nagito selected three books he didn't recognize and which summaries sounded promising. He looked over at Hajime to see him reading the back cover of "Farenheit 451".  
"That's a very good book. Have you read it?" He asked.

"No, what's it about?" Hajime wondered with piqued interest.

"Well, you're reading the back cover." Nagito pointed out with a soft smile but started to recant the plot anyway.

"Basically, it's a nightmare society in which humanity has stopped being creative and seeking knowledge. The book is quite old, so the author portrays this as humanity not being allowed to read. I've heard there's a new movie adaptation which changes things up so that the internet is targeted instead though.  
Basically, there are "firemen" who work by gathering illegal books and torching them. The book follows a fireman, who eventually starts collecting and reading books for himself." 

He trailed off.  
"I don't really want to say anymore, frankly. It might spoil some of the characters or plot, and it's too good of a book for me to make it justice with my rambling explainations anyway." He laughed.  
"In any case, it's a very good book. It captures the battle between hope and despair through pursuit for knowledge, which I think is a very interesting way at looking at things."

"I'll have to borrow it then." Hajime smiled and decided on which book to borrow for himself.

The thought that Nagito had managed to persuade Hajime to borrow one of his favorite books sent a sort of floating feeling through his gut, and he couldn't quite stop a happy smile.  
"So, what were you going to recommend for me then?" He asked, moving his books so he was carrying them under one arm and offered to take Hajime's too.

"How about Ready Player One? It's also set in the future but people spend all of their time in a virtual reality," he suggested.

"It sounds interesting." Nagito agreed. "I'll gladly try it."  
He picked out the book from the shelf and added it to his pile.  
"I'm sure it'll be enjoyable, seeing as you're the one recommending it." The thought of reading one of Hajime's favorites spread a similar warmth through his chest, and Nagito enjoyed it in silence for a moment before continuing.  
"Should we be on our way then? I imagine you want to get back to your apartment and rest."

"That would be very much appreciated." Hajime smiled and fished out his wallet and found his library card and so they checked out the books.

They ended up getting a cheap bag for the 5 books they'd borrowed, and to Nagito's relief, the streets were still barren when they left. The excursion to the library had left the both of them in a better mood he noticed, as Hajime seemed much more relaxed than before. 

They compared opinions on books they'd both heard of and told each other about more of their favorites. Nagito got to hear about a lot of manga he'd never heard of before, and promised to try the genre while Hajime seemed intrigued by the more "young adult" versions of dystopian novels, like the book he'd recommended to Nagito.  
Less heavy, but then again that fits Hajime perfectly in his opinion.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was originally going to be one of, if not the worst chapter of this entire fic, at least as soon as we've written. It gets Bad. Really bad. 
> 
> To spare anyone who doesn't want to read explicit violence and sexual violence, we've decided to split the chapter in two. This half is not explicit, and the next chapter (Chapter 6) will contain all of, and nothing but the explicit content.  
> If you do not want to read this we will put a less graphic summary in the end notes, and at the beginning of chapter 6 which should also hopefully be out really soon.
> 
> If you're on the fence, the main warnings for chapter 5.5 are:
> 
> Rape  
> Sexual violence  
> Violence  
> Verbal and physical abuse  
> Gore  
> (Basically everything is non-consensual)
> 
> Attempted suicide (Though as a calculated act and not explicitly described)
> 
> If you still decide you want to read it, chapter 6 should be up soon, but please be cautious. If you're squeamish and might be triggered by anything in the tags, know that you won't miss anything important that won't be explained later in a non-graphic fashion by skipping the chapter.
> 
> Nevertheless, we hope you enjoy this chapter!

They made their way safely home, Hajime finally relaxing as he locked the door to his apartment and he kicked off his shoes and slid into his slippers.  
"Welcome home!" he called out quietly to himself out of habit.

Nagito followed suit, gently placing down the bag with books so he could unzip his shoes. He jolted at Hajime's voice, looking up and meeting his gaze sheepishly.  
He made to answer, but when he opened his mouth he was interrupted by a yawn. The combination of their early morning and the warm food had apparently left Nagito more tired than he'd realize. He blushed, looking down at the ground and focusing on his shoes.

"Do you want to take a rest?" Hajime asked, smiling softly at the sight. " I'm gonna have a shower first though and toss my clothes in the laundry. Tell if there's something I can do for you."

Nagito nodded mutedly. "I think I'm going to read for a bit if that's okay. I can prepare dinner for us too, a bit later, if you'd like. I'll wake you when it's ready if you're still asleep."  
He considered taking off his jacket to be polite but was hesitant because he didn't have any long sleeved clothes.

"I'm good, really. I'm still full from the soba." Hajime chuckled.  
"Go ahead and read. Make yourself at home. I'll probably join you later." 

Nagito nodded, getting up and leaning against a shelf awkwardly while Hajime headed toward the bathroom. In here, in the quiet and muted environment, he was having more trouble banishing the uncomfortable thoughts that threatened the calm. He just hoped he could bear it, not wanting to cause Hajime any unnecessary worry or trouble, if he was kind enough to feel compassion for someone like him.

"You good, Komaeda?" Hajime asked, tossing a towel over his shoulder.

"Yes. Of course. I'm probably just a bit tired. No need to worry about me Hinata-kun." He chirped.

"If you say so. Don't hesitate to ask for anything, okay?" he said, before disappearing into the bathroom. Five minutes later he stood under running water.

Once Hajime had left the hallway, Nagito picked out one of his books and sat lightly on the couch. He immersed himself in the book, flipping pages with audible enthusiasm, but he couldn't quite relax. The feeling of warmth and soft cushion around him was too different from what he was used to, and it made him feel antsy. Even though he should by all accounts be grateful for the change, part of him just couldn't settle down.  
In an effort to shake the feeling, Nagito moved down to the ground and leaned his back against the couch instead. This settled his nerves, and soon enough he was completely immersed in the plot of the novel, everything but the words and turning of pages fading into the background.

Hajime was quick to shower, as he really wasn't a fan of them. He preferred baths. So when he showered he was quick but efficient and not much later he re-emerged with a towel around his waist.

By that point, Nagito didn't even hear him close the door. His book rested on his knee as he read, flipping pages with one hand as he propped his head up from the couch with the other.

Hajime smiled at the sight and went to his closet and took out a fresh pair of underwear and put on his pajamas before heading out to join Nagito with his own book for a while.

Hajime's entering jolted Nagito back into the real world, and he looked up at him. "Hinata-kun. Are you going to read too?" He greeted, removing his hand from the couch to make more room.

"Yeah. You looked too peaceful so I wanted to get in on that too. I can go elsewhere if you want to be alone though." he said and sat down on the couch.

"No of course not. This is your couch, Hinata-kun. If anything I'm the one who should be moving." Nagito said, matter of factly. He wouldn't lie, part of him felt a bit uncomfortable with their arrangements, but he pushed it down and focused on the novel instead.

"Alright. But please make yourself at home. I don't you to be uncomfortable in this house." he said and flipped open the first page of the book.

Nagito nodded listlessly, going back to his book.  
The sound of Hajime's breathing and occasionally flipping a page made for good ambiance, so he was able to get back into it quickly. He reached a good place to stop a while later and, having lost all concept of time, looked up to see Hajime still immersed in his novel, leaning against the back of the couch with drooping eyes.  
"Are you awake, Hinata-kun?" He asked gently, putting his book on the ground beside himself.

"Mm.." He gave an uninterested reply, too immersed in Fahrenheit 451 to fully listen to what Nagito said.

Nagito decided to get up and get himself a glass of water, needing to stretch his limbs after sitting on the floor for so long. When he entered the kitchen he realized that the time was already 6 on the evening, and wondered if Hajime was hungry. He supposed he'd find out whenever he came back to consciousness. As it was he sat down by the couch again, sipping water and flipping open his book. He felt too tired to read much though, so he just stared at the pages instead, dozing.

Hajime soon closed his book, woken up by his stomach. "Hey Komaeda, do you want something to eat?"

Nagito jolted awake with a gasp, awoken from his dozing by Hajime's voice. "I- Uh- sure." He blabbed, trying to get his bearings. Then he realized what had happened, and got up immediately. "Oh- sorry Hinata-kun. I must have dozed off."

"That's okay, sorry for waking you," he said and put a random receipt in his book and put it on the coffee table.  
"We have some scones if you want."

"Don't be. And, I'd like some scones." Nagito said, shaking his legs a bit to regain the feeling. "Sorry, I know I said I'd prepare something." He laughed dryly. "I guess I'm a pretty terrible roommate."

"Nah. You're a pretty good one." he hummed and got up.

"You don't need to worry about my feelings, Hinata-kun. You can be honest." Nagito urged, following the other into the kitchen. Hajime opened a cupboard, reaching in amidst baked goods and retrieving the scones.

"I'm not. You're a good roommate and an employee. Of course, I don't really know if you blast death metal on Fridays at midnight and host lesbian orgies yet but as long as you don't do that you're qualified as a good roommate." he said, taking out a plastic baggie of scones which he plated and put on the table.

Nagito smiled. "Host lesbian orgies." He repeated. "You really don't have high standards for your living partners, do you Hinata-kun?"

"I lived with a musician before. Her name was Ibuki. Part of the reason why I took the job at the bakery was to be able to move out." Hajime explained and heated some scones in the microwave with a little cup of water.  
"So the scones don't dry." he explained.

"It sounds more like you were exceptionally unlucky." Nagito commented, opening the fridge to see what he could set the table with. He emerged a few moments later with butter and a pitcher of orange juice.

"I'll get it." Nagito said, gathering two glasses on the way to the fridge. He returned momentarily, placing the final items on the table.  
"Anything else?" He asked as Hajime opened the microwave and took out the scones. "You're the expert on bread, not me."

"I think that's it. Unless there's something else you want with your scones?" he said and took a seat.

Nagito shook his head. "Just butter will work fine for me." He affirmed, taking a seat opposite of Hajime. He grabbed a scone and took a bite without even putting butter on. "Did you bake these, Hinata-kun? They're delicious."

"Maybe? I really don't remember when they were baked." he excused himself and took a scone for himself and spread the yam inside.

"Hmm... Well then, maybe Nanami-san or Souda-san are just as talented as you." He mused. "They are certainly just as amicable. I see why you get along."

"I'm sure you'd learn quickly too. It's basically just following a recipe," he said, cheeks dusted pink from the praise.

"Was that in regards to baking or social situations?" ¨  
Nagito asked innocently. Hajime's flustered expression was honestly kind of adorable. He wouldn't mind seeing more of it, he realized. A stab of anxiety jolted through him at that, but he pushed it aside. He certainly wasn't beginning to feel a fondness for Hajime Hinata. Not even a little.

"Mostly baking," he said, letting out a light laugh.  
"Just come with me to the bakery tomorrow too and you'll learn in no time. That is if your muscles aren't too sore. I remember my first day, I thought I was going to die."

"Don't worry about me," Nagito said, buttering a scone. "I've found I have remarkable pain tolerance."

"I don't know if that's a good thing or not at this point but good for you. You were a huge help today though. We should set up a bank account for you soon and start the legal processes so you can get your salary." Hajime said and but into his scone.

Nagito looked up. "You don't need to pay me. Or- if you do, it should go to you. You're the one who's making all of this possible- no, probably the reason I'm even alive at this point." He smiled gratefully.

"If you say so, but it might be a relief to have some financial independence?" He suggested. "And honestly I'm glad to have someone here to change up my routine a bit."

Nagito was about to refute but thought back to his reacting earlier. Maybe it would be good to have some financial independence, if only so that Hajime wouldn't worry if he wanted to throw him out.  
"I suppose... It might be a good thing. It'll hasten the time until I'll be out of your hair." Nagito said, shrugging.

"Not what I meant but okay." Hajime pointed out. "I was more thinking if you wanted to buy a phone, or wanted to buy books or something for yourself," he said and reached for the butter.

Oh. Of course, that's what he meant. "Right, well. If you recommend it we'll do it." Nagito said. "You're the law student, after all."

"It's mostly so he won't have financial power over you," Hajime explained. "It's part of trying to get you out of his spider web."

Nagito nodded.  
"As I said, you're the law student. Frankly, I'm just trying not to think about him. I don't know how I'd react if I had to talk to him about something like this or see him at all really."  
Despite his thick jacket, Nagito shivered.

"I'll do my best as your stand-in lawyer then," Hajime promised. "I'll get him out of the country if I so need to get the help of my sister."

"That's... Much more than you should do for someone like me, but I appreciate it." Nagito said, smiling slightly.  
"Hinata-kun? If you don't mind me asking, by your sister, were you referring to the woman on your photo?"

"Yes. She quite accomplished in court," he said.  
"I have a bit of an awkward relationship with her but it's in general quite good.

"Oh? How come?" Nagito asked, sipping on his orange juice.

"She was always my parents' favorite. I was always forgotten in her shadow. I'm pretty much a cheap copy of her, at least when it comes to our academic achievements." Hajime said.  
"I'm proud of her though but I was very jealous growing up."

Nagito nodded. "That's understandable. I can see why you wouldn't want to ask her for help." He shrugged. "I'll be fine anyway. I'll get a state-sanctioned attorney if we take it to trial."

"They're not good though. They're the ones who weren't good enough to get hired by a private firm. I'll text my sister." he said and fished out his phone.

Nagito paled.  
"You shouldn't do anything you're not comfortable with, Hinata-kun. You've already done so much for me, I couldn't ask this of you."

"We should really improve our relationship so in one way you're doing us a favor," Hajime said, texting his sister about the Situation ™

"Relationship." Nagito echoed, with thinly veiled disgust. He'd never come close to using that level of flippancy with those words with Titus, though Hajime had no way of knowing that.  
Titus always did stuff for "The benefit of their relationship", and Nagito had to follow.  
"Of course." He said to Hajime, letting some of his walls back up.

"Komaeda? What did I do?" Hajime asked, quickly putting down his phone as he caught the disgust in his voice.

"It's fine," Nagito said curtly, taking his plate and standing up. "I'm just not hungry anymore."  
That was almost the truth, he had begun to feel nauseous as soon as he started to think about Titus again. He didn't think he could eat another bite if he tried.

"Okay, I'm sorry if I said anything to upset you, I didn't mean to." He said and ended up alone in the kitchen with his scones and his phone.

"It's not your fault,"  
Nagito muttered. He leaned over the garbage can to scrape off the remainder of his scone but was hit with a sudden bout of nausea at the smell and sight. He ended up crouching down, managing to put down his plate without breaking it. He hoped the noise didn't alert Hajime though, so he managed to yell.  
"Don't worry about me, Hinata-kun. I'm fine. I'll be out momentarily."

Hajime hadn't heard the noise but at Komaeda's calling out he got worried and quickly finished the last of his scone and hurried into the kitchen with his plate.  
"You don't look so okay," Hajime said and swallowed his scone as he took Nagito's plate.  
"Let's get you into bed with a bucket," he said and gently laid a hand on his back.

Nagito flinched at the touch.  
"N-no, I'm fine." Pathetic, his mind told him. You couldn't even last a day acting like a normal person. He's going to throw you out if you don't get your shit together, and good riddance.

Usually, Hajime's soft touch calmed Nagito down, but right now all it was doing was reaffirming what he already knew. He was undeserving.  
"Please, I'm fine Hinata-kun. I'll get up in just a moment, it's just-." His legs felt like jelly, and even though he tried to push himself up he couldn't quite do it.

Hajime took a deep breath and quickly ran through the situation in his head. How would Komaeda react? He quickly decided and took a shot in the dark and took away his hand.

"Okay, Komaeda. I'll put the scones back in the cupboard and clean up a bit then go to bed. Your futon will be laid out for you too. You get to choose though what you want to do. You're very welcome here though and my sister replied that she'd be willing to help out." he said and backed, giving Komaeda space.

Nagito shuddered, his breath heaving. It was clear that Hajime was going out of his way to make him comfortable, but the nausea was still almost unbearable. "I need- I need air." He stammered, getting onto his knees and heaving. "I'm fine, I just- need- I'll calm down." He muttered, as much for Hajime's sake as his own.  
Shakily, Nagito got to his feet and started towards the exit.

"Be careful!" Hajime called after him, wondering if he'd done the right thing. "I'll be waiting, but don't stress yourself out over it."

Nagito heard Hajime's final words as he shut the door. "Don't stress yourself out over it, huh?" He repeated softly. Seems like even Hajime's patience was wearing thin. Unsurprising, of course. Nagito already knew he wasn't deserving of anything better than what Titus gave him anyhow. It was about time Hajime figured that out as well.  
He managed to get to the exit of the building, sinking down to his knees and trying to steady his breathing. There were a lot of people on the street, hustling about, but nobody paid Nagito any mind. He scanned the faces lazily, an old lady with a cane, what looked like a young couple with a Child And- Nagito's breath caught in his throat.  
He immediately berated himself. This was the kind of behavior that drove Hajime away from him in the first place! He couldn't have a panic attack every time he spotted someone with blond hair. He was just being paranoid, jumping at shadows and such. Titus would have called him crazy.

\---  
Across the street stood the tall, blonde American, talking to a merchant who shrugged, pointing across the street.

Those ice blue eyes lit up with a look that could only be described as evil, and the buff American said goodbye and beelined across the street.  
He had found him.


	6. Please, read the notes and pay attention to the warnings before reading.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So! If you're here then I assume you've read the warnings from chapter 5 and decided to read this chapter anyway. If you somehow missed it, or need a refresher, this chapter goes Dark.  
> In a very non-consensual and explicit fashion.
> 
> The main things to watch out for are,
> 
> Rape, 
> 
> Sexual violence and abuse,  
> \- Mainly by nonconsensual penetration with an object and by genitals. The detail is...pretty explicit, so definitely watch out.
> 
> Violence,  
> \- By way of hitting, manhandling and pushing, as well as choking.
> 
> Verbal and psychological abuse,  
> -Mainly by derogatory language, demeaning language, a lot of guilting and berating. No homophobic or racial comments but still definitely something to watch out for if you're not comfortable with that kind of stuff.
> 
> -Attempted Suicide,  
> It's a calculated decision and not something that's done due to any kind of depression and mental illness. It's also not explicit and only described briefly, but still, something to watch out for.
> 
> I hope that about covers it. If something jumps out at you while reading and you think it should be added to the warnings, please do not hesitate to let us know.

"He-hey! Look at that, it appears I didn't need to put up posters for my missing dog after all!" an all too familiar, sugary sweet voice called out to Nagito as he was halfway across the street.

One of the many times Nagito had run away from the cold, empty house that was his foster home, he'd tried to cross a bridge during a storm. He'd only been a child, and as luck would have it a particularly strong gust of wind had blown him off the poorly secured bridge and down into the dark water. When he washed up on shore, people had said he'd survived by a miracle. Nagito didn't particularly believe in miracles, but he had gotten a few days free stay at the child's ward with clean clothes, food, and warmth, so he remembered the event fondly.

The ice-cold premonition that hit him at those words could be most closely described as the feeling of wind pushing you off center before being doused in cold, unforgiving water.  
Nagito could practically feel the stream carrying him away. He couldn't speak, couldn't react, could barely even breathe.  
All he managed to do was increase his pace, feeling adrenaline rush through his body and his breathing pick up as he desperately tried to escape his fate.  
He wanted to go back, to hide in the safety of Hajime's home, or among the comfortable blankets of the children's ward.  
But- as he was well aware by now- Nagito rarely got what he wanted.

Titus set out after Nagito like a wolf after his prey, cornering him in a nearby alley behind a bar.  
"Where do you think you're going puppy?" He sneered, his pearly white, perfect teeth showed in his malicious grin. 

Nagito's throat was dry, his vision blurring. Every word was like a stab to the chest, cold and unforgiving.  
He'd probably started hyperventilating because he could hear rough breathing in his ears but it didn't feel like it came from him. He tried to think, to come up with a way to escape, but his mind came up empty. 

Titus had the advantage over him, able to completely take away any will he'd have to protect himself without as much as batting an eye. Hajime was still up in his apartment, far away from all of this. Nagito had no means of escape, nothing he could do to get away. 

So he didn't even try.

He pressed himself against the cold, brick wall of the alley, feeling his breathing quicken even further as Titus approached.  
"I'm- I'm sorry. I'm so- so-" He panted desperately, curling in on himself and keeping his gaze firmly fixed on the ground.

If he could at the very least convince Titus he'd be obedient and good from now on, maybe he could escape this with his life.  
He knew Titus liked it when he showed submission, so he utilized every trick he knew. 

"You're sorry? Do you have any idea how worried I've been for you?" he asked accusatorily. "I haven't been able to eat or sleep out of worry- I've been walking around like a lunatic all over town. But I guess your luck finally rubbed off on me. I can't pay for shit because someone decided to block all of my cards, but at least I found the bitch who did it." he said threateningly.  
"Come home, Nagito." 

Nagito inhaled sharply, chewing with panic on his lip so hard he drew blood.  
"I'm sorry," He managed to croak, carefully lifting his gaze to meet Titus' cold, unforgiving blue eyes.  
"I didn't mean to worry you. I just- I don't know why I left and then I couldn't come back and-" He stopped, panting for air.  
"I'm so sorry. I'll do anything to make it right, just please don't-" He cut himself off.  
He had been meaning to say, "please don't kill me," but after all of the horrible things he'd done, he deserved whatever Titus did to him.  
He was right. Nagito had been a terrible boyfriend, running away from Titus without as much as a goodbye to live with another man. Titus was well within his right to kill someone who'd wronged him in such a way.

"You'll do anything to make it right? I already know you'll do anything. You'll do anything for anyone. I bet that barista boy you flirted with yesterday had you run a booty call. I didn't think highly of you, Nagito, but I really didn't think you to be such a whore, wagging your tail for any man who even looks at you with anything but disgust." he spat.  
"But I'll give you a chance to redeem yourself, slut. But do not expect any fucking mercy." Titus growled and shoved Nagito down to his knees on the pavement.  
"Beg."

Nagito felt a sharp sting of pain as his bruised thighs and knees hit the dirty asphalt. He steadied himself with his hands, feeling small rocks and what felt like a shard of glass embedded itself in his palm. He didn't react, other than bowing so deep his head almost hit the ground and beginning to ramble a jumbled mess of pleas and apologies.  
"I'm so- so- sorry. Please, Titus, please forgive me. I know I've been terrible, and it's preposterous of someone as dirty and pathetic as myself to even beg for forgiveness, but please. I promise I'll be really good from now on, I won't scream or anything. I won't bother you. Please- at least even if you can't forgive me- at least please don't hate me. You're- you're the only one in the entire world who cares about me, Titus. I'd die if you hated me."  
By the end of it, he was sobbing, his entire body convulsing with it as fat, disgusting tears rolled down his cheeks and mixed themselves with the cigarette butts and dirt on the ground. 

"Good. Sit up." Titus snapped mercilessly.

Nagito scrambled to obey, limbs feeling stiff and unwieldy as he slowly leaned back and lifted his head, fixing his gaze on Titus' dark jacket to avoid looking at him directly.  
He opened his mouth to keep begging but stopped himself. Titus hadn't told him to speak, and years of experience told him he should remain quiet and wait for further orders.

He had a sinking feeling his punishment was far from over.

"Good boy~ You do know how to follow orders." Titus cooed and caressed Nagito's cheek gently before grabbing it hard and he jerked his head up and bent over, his face only millimeters from Nagito. 

"Never. Fucking. Run away. Again. If you do I swear it'll be the last time you're ever able to use your legs again." he spat. 

"Get up, we're going home." 

Nagito nodded mutedly, getting up on shaky legs and wiping his tearstained cheeks with the back of his coat arm. It came away red, and he could feel the faint taste of iron on his tongue as he licked his lips. He hoped it wasn't too bad of a wound.¨

The two walked home in dead silence, but the second the door to their apartment slammed shut Titus took a grip on the back of Nagito's neck and shoved him down on the hallway floor, Nagito's head hitting the ledge separating the hallway and the rest of the apartment.

"Stay down. Good dogs don't jump." he spat hatefully.  
"Get your slutty ass over to the bathroom. I don't want to stain shit," he said, aggressively shrugged off his jacket and pulling off his gloves.

Nagito's eyes muddled with tears, but he felt a kind of icy calm settle in his chest. Titus' words reached him as if he were underwater, and all Nagito could hear was his own loud heartbeat.  
He slowly got up on all fours, his arms shaking from the strain of supporting him, and began to crawl toward the bathroom, dripping tears all over the floor as he crawled.

Once he'd made it he slumped against the laundry bin, catching his breath and staring out over their small, dingy bathroom with acceptance.  
He knew he should feel at home here, right here on the floor, dirty and bruised as was fitting for scum like him.  
Hajime might not have seen it, the ambulance officer might not have seen it, but Nagito knew it was true.

This was where he belonged.

Titus didn't join Nagito in the bathroom until fifteen minutes later.  
"Get your lazy ass over here," he said, dumping a box of obscene and brutal sex toys and took out handcuffs. 

"Dogs who run away will be tied down, dogs who run away get punished. Did you prepare yourself the slightest?"

Nagito sobbed and shook his head. "N-no. I didn't- I didn't know if I was allowed to." 

He had stripped off his clothes though, folding them in a neat pile close to where he sat, curled in a corner of the bathroom with his knees pulled up to his chest.  
There wasn't a lot of scenarios he could imagine where stripping wouldn't have been allowed.

"Well then you only have yourself to blame. You're not very bright, are you?" Titus asked, fastening the handcuffs tightly around Nagito's wrists and roughly dragged him to the radiator where he fastened the handcuffs, high enough to force Nagito's arms completely over his head.  
"Do you know what's coming next, Nagito?"

Nagito kept shivering, sobbing loudly as Titus manhandled him. His chest felt tight and white-hot panic coursed through his body whenever he glanced down at the box on the ground.

"N-no please, please you'll kill me. Please, Titus, I don't want to die, at least let me p- at least let me prepare myself."

He shivered, pulling against the handcuffs but only managing to chafe his wrists.  
He knew he deserved this- deserved worse- but that didn't stop him from begging for mercy. He didn't want to die, not like this.  
"I...I could never face my family if I died like this..." He sobbed, shoulders shaking.

"Shut the fuck up," Titus growled, landing a harsh kick against his chest.  
"You should have thought about that before you decided to betray, abandon and throw me under the bus," 

Nagito sobbed, taking the kick without even attempting to fight back.  
"I- I know but please, don't you want to- to keep me around?" He tried desperately, looking up at Titus with wide, round eyes. ¨  
"I know I'm worthless trash but at the very least-" His voice cracked, "-At the very least I have some uses, right? A-and I'll remove the block on my account as soon as I can, I promise. You don't need to kill me, I'll behave from now on. I promise."

"I told you to shut the fuck up, didn't I?" Titus snapped at him, slapping him around before pulling up his face again.  
"It'll depend on how well you take your punishment," he said with a venomous smile, letting go of Nagito's jaw and letting him fall gracelessly to the floor again.  
"Stick up your ass as you did for the barista boy," he ordered.

Nagito swallowed down a protest and stared dazedly down at the ground as he obeyed to the best of his abilities, forcing his bruised and stiff body to move.  
His throat felt thick and he was scared he might throw up from the horror of it all.  
*It'll be okay. You'll get through this,* He thought to himself.  
*It'll be okay. Just get through this and everything will be back to normal. Titus won't hate you, and you won't die.*

"I'd like to say good boy, but cheaters don't get praise," Titus said sweetly, laying a gentle hand on Nagito's hips before ramming in two blood-and-saliva covered fingers in his ass which was still swollen from last time Titus had his way with him.

"See how nice I am, cleaning up after your fucking mistakes again?" he said and harshly spread him open.  
"You spread so fucking easily. I guess my dick isn't enough for you, Nagito. Was that why you whored around? I'll give you something bigger then," Titus growled and pulled out and reached for the box of toys.  
"What do you think we should start with?" he asked and pulled out a monster dildo.  
"Is this one big enough to satisfy you, Nagito, or is it still too small?"

Nagito was sobbing too hard to even answer, his body gone completely numb and limp from the pain. The only thing keeping him from face planting was the handcuffs which forced his upper body to hang against the radiator, which cut into his back uncomfortably.

His mouth filled with bile when he turned his head to answer Titus' question and he immediately snapped his head away, sobbing incoherently.  
"N- Please- no bigger," He begged, already concerned what damage Titus could do to his insides with it.

"Bigger? I'm sorry to disappoint but I doubt I have anything bigger," Titus replied innocently. "We'll add another if you're not satisfied after this one. Are you going to do it yourself or should I?" ¨  
he asked, reaching for a bottle of lube.

Nagito shivered, yanking the chain that bound his hands together.  
"I can't--" He gasped. "I can't do it unless you release me."  
He let out another sob, feeling the tears run down his cheeks and naked torso.

"Please Titus, you don't have to do this," He begged with desperation. "I love you. I promise I'll behave."

"Are you going to do it or am I?" He asked again sternly with a frown.

Nagito swallowed down another sob. "I can't do it, so please-" He steeled himself, gritting his teeth. "-You should do it."

"Really? Stay stuck to the radiator then." he shrugged and lubed up the dildo before aligning it with Nagito's ass and slowly forced the way too big thing in, his ass tearing.

Nagito's tormented scream sent a tingle of pleasure down Titus's spine before he shoved the whole thing in with one swift motion, Nagito passing out beneath him and blood trickled down his legs. Titus sighed with exasperation, sitting back and waiting with a cigarette for Nagito to come to it again.  
When he didn't wake up for a few minutes Titus put out his cigarette on Nagito's hip, making his bruised body jolt at the pain. 

The sting of the burn turned out to be the final straw, jolting Nagito back to consciousness. He didn't move, his hips aching more and more with every breath. Instead, he kept on breathing harshly, reminding himself that it would be okay, if he only got through this it would be okay.

He couldn't even lift his head, staring up at the dingy roof as Titus continued the relentless torture. He screamed and screamed until Titus had enough and gagged him, making sure to put the gag on so that it chafed against his tongue painfully.  
This didn't stop the screams, merely quenching them, and Nagito felt as if his throat was raw and bloody from overuse.  
He didn't know how much time passed, moments, minutes, hours.  
He only knew the pain and the uncomfortable ess of the gag.

After Titus had had his fun he pulled out the dildo, the sight of Nagito's broken body beneath him sending euphoric tingles down his spine.  
"Good boy, Nagito." he praised, admiring his work and placed the gentlest kiss he could muster on Nagito's back.  
"You did excellently." he praised. "I'm gonna ungag you. And then you're going to suck me off. Got it?" he asked the barely conscious man and stroked his cheek.

When he didn't get a response he whipped him around harshly and ripped off the gag and shoved his dick down Nagito's throat, adding extra pressure by choking him until he came down his throat.  
" Heh, that turned you on? You sick motherfucker." he snickered at the sight of the hard-on Nagito's body had gotten from the asphyxiation, climbing off his chest.

Nagito was barely lucid, in more pain than he could ever remember being in. Even the small act of Titus flipping him around had felt like multiple stab wounds straight to his abdomen, and as Titus leaned over him to remove his gag and fuck his mouth he seriously thought he was going to die.  
He sobbed brokenly when Titus finally climbed off him, swallowing whatever he could and coughing up the rest.  
"A- am I done? Is it- is it over? " He wheezed afterward, voice hoarse from crying and thick with nausea.

"What? You haven't even gotten to come yet for being such a good onahole, you don't want your reward?" he asked and dug through the toys, finding a sounding stick and scooted down over to Nagito's dick with it and carefully pushed it down and wiggled it around until he found his prostate and began teasing it.  
He left it in and went back for the box of toys.

"Here, this should definitely fit by now." he grinned evilly, pulling out another, vibrating buttplug and easily pushed it in and turned it on.¨

Nagito gasped, the intensity of the intermingling pain and pleasure completely overwhelming him. His hips felt as if they were on fire, the vibrations irritating the wounds and bruises that were already there.  
Still... Having that much pressure focused on his prostrate undeniably felt good, Nagito had to admit that.  
The result was a very uncanny mix of pain tinged with pleasure that had Nagito desperately squirming in his restrains, but to no avail.  
He risked a glance up, sending Titus a pleading look. His boyfriend(torturer) only replied with a lazy grin, however, so Nagito could see he wouldn't get any mercy.

Titus got up off the floor and left the bathroom, son returning with a bottle of water which he downed as he watched Nagito's hips shake. Just before he got to cum however, Titus pulled everything out.  
"Did you really think I'd let you?" He sneered with a triumphant smile.

Nagito looked up at him with a broken expression. Despite having just begged for Titus to stop it, now that he had he felt... Empty.

Used. 

And still painfully aroused.

"N-no, please. Please don't stop Titus," Nagito begged, trying and failing miserably to get up off the floor.  
His hips ached, and soon that plan was abandoned.  
"P-please, do you want me to beg for it? What do you want? P-please-"

"Maybe I should grant you mercy once," he mused and reached out and gripped Nagito's dick.  
"But where's the fun in that?" he squeezed and reached for the monster dildo again and rammed it in.

The bulge it made on Nagito's stomach was just what Titus's dick needed to spring back to life and he placed a hand on Nagito's stomach and pressed, the dildo being pushed out of his broken ass. The dildo was quickly replaced by Titus's dick and a vibrator before he filled Nagito up, biting his neck as he came, fingers digging into Nagito's flesh.

"Fuuuuuck...." He groaned, pulling out, his dick slack and covered in blood, only now realizing that Nagito had fallen unconscious again.  
Titus slapped him to get a rise out of him and sat across his hips. When that didn't work he lit another cigarette, only getting a jolt out of Nagito's body.

"Fuck!"

Panic gripped him.  
Had he killed him? He hadn't meant to- what the fuck was he supposed to do with his body?  
"Nagito, get up," he commanded, panic evident in his voice as he slapped him again to get him to wake up.

"I said get the fuck up!" he yelled, shaking the body.  
"Get up! Stop playing fucking dead, you're not a fucking dog!" he said, landing one heavy punch after another.  
He didn't hear the crack beneath his hand, however, as his apartment door was broken down and armed policemen infiltrated their home.

Titus heard the door breaking down and panicked, locking the bathroom door and studying Nagito's crumpled form on the ground. It was all his fucking fault.  
"If you hadn't run away I wouldn't be in this mess. And now you fucking call the police on me?"  
He lifted Nagito's head by the neck, shaking him back and forth.  
There was something utterly pathetic and a bit heartbreaking about how his head jolted back and forth, even more out of it than when he was drugged.

Titus dropped him to the ground, not wanting to look at him anymore. He could hear the door handle rattling, he was cornered.  
"Don't you fucking think you can get away from me, you little bitch," He hissed at Nagito's crumpled body, desperately opening the cabinet where he kept the ryphonol and taking out the bottle.  
Without as much as blinking, he took a large handful of pills. He'd rather die than go to jail for life. He'd come to that conclusion long ago.

The police broke down the door only moments later, accompanied by both Kazuichi Souda and a very out of breath Hajime Hinata.  
Souda had spotted the pair as they walked toward the apartment and became concerned, following the pair and calling the police as soon as they entered their apartment complex. He'd also called Hajime, who had run over all the way from his apartment, having been out of his mind with worry when Nagito didn't come back inside from his walk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So: If you're here for the short, non-explicit summary, it goes as follows.
> 
> After Nagito steps out to get some fresh air, Titus catches sight of him and corners him in an alley nearby Hajime's apartment. He manages to convince Nagito to come back home and they depart for their apartment, where Titus sexually and physically abuses him to the point of near death.  
> Luckily, Souda had seen the pair as they were walking home and alerted the police and Hajime, both of whom show up and barge in just in time to save Nagito's life.  
> Titus is startled by this and makes the quick call that he'd rather join Nagito in death than risk a lifetime of jail time for his crimes, attempting to take his life via an overdose.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again: if you decided to skip chapter 6 here's the summary from the endnotes,
> 
> After Nagito steps out to get some fresh air, Titus catches sight of him and corners him in an alley nearby Hajime's apartment. He manages to convince Nagito to come back home and they depart for their apartment, where Titus sexually and physically abuses him to the point of near death.  
> Luckily, Souda had seen the pair as they were walking home and alerted the police and Hajime, both of whom show up and barge in just in time to save Nagito's life.  
> Titus is startled by this and makes the quick call that he'd rather join Nagito in death than risk a lifetime of jail time for his crimes, attempting to take his life via an overdose.
> 
> Even this chapter has some references to the explicit events in chapter 6 (Obviously, since Nagito has to be treated for his injuries,) but it's nowhere as explicit as chapter 6, or as detailed.  
> Still, if you felt uncomfortable with any of the warnings in that chapter or the tags of the fic...proceed with caution.

Hours later and Hajime was sitting wrecked, running only on coffee as he waited outside Nagito's hospital room with a sleeping Souda by his side who'd been there for comfort as first.  
He was shaking and he'd been shaking for a while. He didn't think it was possible to hate someone as much as he hated Nagito's boyfriend- no. There was no way they were boyfriends. Nagito's abuser, tormenter- boyfriends were people who loved each other, who shared mutual respect, who cared for one another, who'd go to the end of the world to keep the other safe. 

He shook. He trembled, he fumbled with his hands, he didn't know what to do with himself.  
They had been lucky, the paramedics said when they found Nagito. They'd been lucky, Nagito was injured but he'd live.

Fuck the paramedics. There was nothing even remotely positive with this situation. They hadn't been "right in time." Because they didn't get there earlier Nagito had ended up in the state he was in. He was angry. So so angry. He was furious. At the paramedics, at the monster, no that wasn't bad enough to describe him.  
The demon, not vile enough- at Nagito's tormentor, but mostly he was angry at himself. For letting him go. If only he'd kept Nagito from leaving the apartment back then he'd be safe. If only... 

A nurse exited Nagito's room, coming to a stop in front of Hajime. She stood there for a few seconds, completely ignored by Hajime who was lost in thought, before gently clearing her throat.

"Um...I'm terribly sorry to disturb you but-" She began timidly, wringing her hands on her white dress.  
"I- I was sent to inform you that- um, Komaeda-san is stable. He's um...heavily sedated right now, and will probably be out all night. It might- ah unless I'm being too forward, I think maybe...you'd be better off going home." She bowed awkwardly, glancing up at Hajime from beneath long black lashes.

"I honestly could not care less right now. Do you seriously think I'll sleep when I get home?"  
Hajime snapped at the innocent girl. She really didn't deserve his temper but he was just so tired and so so angry. He was beginning to wonder if he'd even need coffee to stay awake, anger seemed to be enough fuel.

The nurse recoiled. "Oh- um I'm...I'm so sorry. Please- please don't hate me-"  
She glanced toward the room, wringing a bandaged hand through her hair.  
"I think...I think it would be okay." She mumbled to herself, then quickly bowed.  
"I'm sorry, please excuse me!" She said, leaving Hajime and entering the room again.

Hajime leaned back in his seat and began to cry. He was so stressed and angry and tired, he just wanted to punch something, hug Nagito and go home and eat comfort food. He just wanted everything to be okay.  
Instead, he called his mom.

Natsuki Hinata-Kamukura picked up on the third ring and answered the phone with some confusion. Her son rarely called home, after all, and she didn't really know what to expect.  
"Hello, dearie." She replied cheerfully, pushing a lock of black hair behind one ear.

"Mom? Hi-" he hiccuped, choking a sob as he tried to not wake Souda. 

Natsuki put down the cup of coffee she'd been drinking, worry gripping her. She hadn't heard her son cry in a long time.  
"Hajime dear, what's wrong? Are you in trouble?" She asked worriedly, drumming her manicured fingers on the spotless kitchen counter idly.

"I- I honestly don't know.. Mom, I made a friend. He's in the hospital now." he sniffed, not having the energy to explain further. "I'm so- so fucking angry and stressed and I can't-" he sobbed, sniffling as he let his tears run. 

"Hajime, slow down honey," Natsuki said worriedly, as Hajime's sobs became louder. "Listen, I don't know exactly what's going on, but I can drive. What hospital are you at?" She said, standing and already heading out into the hallway to get her phone and purse. "You can explain all about this friend of yours and the situation you're in. If it's trouble we'll take care of it, okay?"

"We're at the Fukugawa hospital- Mom, I don't know what to do." he cried, folding over his knees as he cried, hugging his knees. "I just want a hug.."  
Usually, Hajime would've insisted it was fine and that he just wanted to hear her voice but a hug from mom was just what he needed, he didn't know what to do and he just needed his family's support, even though he didn't want to disappoint. 

"Fukugawa..." Natsuki muttered.  
"I'll be right over dear, twenty minutes if I drive legally." She left the house, slamming the door so their maid heard that she was going out. She practically ran through the gardens, pressing her phone to her ear and speaking calmingly to Hajime all the way.  
"Okay dear, I have to hang up the phone now." She said as she approached the car. "I'm getting in the car, and I'll be there in no time at all. See you soon, dearie."

"Okay, see you." Hajime sniffled and hung up, pulling up his knees as he comforted himself in his wait for his mom like a little kid or a twenty-year-old man who just experienced something traumatic second hand. 

Natsuki Hinata-Kamukura definitely did not run three red lights on her way to comfort her son. Definitely.  
She arrived at the Fukugawa Hospital Ward exactly 14 minutes after saying goodbye to Hajime and rushed in with all the dignity a ruffled, stressed woman with only one arm in her coat could. After a bit of asking around, she figured out that Hajime's friend was most likely one Nagito Komaeda who had just been admitted to the critical ward. She was by her son's side exactly 16 minutes after they'd hung up.  
"Hajime?" She said softly, approaching and sitting down on a free seat next to her son. "Come here dearie, it'll be okay."

Hajime quickly wrapped her in a hug and began ugly-sobbing into her shoulder, eyes bloodshot from staying up far too late and from crying, fingers digging into her fluffy shirt as his body convulsed. "Mom-" 

Natsuki shushed and comforted her son in a way she hadn't done since he was a small child. She hugged him tightly, wagging him back and forth and stroked his hair. That one uncontrollable tuft that always insisted on standing straight up refused to yield to her fingers, and she commented on it with a smile.  
"Hajime, dear. Please tell me what happened." She said when he'd calmed down somewhat. "Who is this "Komaeda"?"

"Komaeda came into the coffee shop a few days ago with his abusive, disgusting, demonic- pathetic excuse for a boyfriend and I offered help. He later sought me out after he'd been- he'd been drugged and raped."  
Hajime said and swallowed hard, having a hard time to just recite what the- there were no words to describe how horrible he was.- had done to Komaeda. 

"I let him stay with me after we'd frozen their shared account and collected evidence for the abuse and the rape. He got a panic attack tonight though and went out for air and then Souda calls and then- and then- oh god, if I'd just gone outside with him or anything-"

"Shhhh, calm down Hajime. You couldn't possibly have known." Natsuki comforted, stroking her son's hair.  
"But this...Have you called your sister about this? You know she'd take the case in a heartbeat, even if it wasn't personal right?" 

"I texted her tonight and she said she'd do it. But still, and the police say they were lucky they got there in time but they didn't! They didn't- The fucking guy almost tortured Komaeda to death and OD'd! If they'd gotten there in time Komaeda wouldn't have been in the emergency ward!" he wailed. He was still fuming about the fact. 

Natsuki swallowed. She'd had no idea the situation was so serious. 

"I know how awful this must be for you Hajime." She said softly.  
"But the nurse I talked to said he was stable. That means he's going to be okay. Now- granted, I have no idea how his attacker is faring, but I gather that either way he's going straight to hell. Your friend will be safe from him, whether that means him rotting in jail or dying a pathetic death."  
She clenched her free hand so hard her knuckles turned white, furious at the man who had done so much to hurt her son and his friend. 

"I just wish I could go back in time and do something differently, anything, just so he'd be safe.." Hajime murmured, squeezing the last moments of his epic mom-hug. 

"He's safe now. He's recovering." Natsuki said gently. "I'm sure any minute now some nurse will come out and reaffirm it." 

As if on cue, the purple haired nurse from before opened the door and stood before the pair. "Um...Excuse me, mister, madam." She said timidly, fiddling with the hem of her apron. 

"I've...obtained clearance for one person to enter. Komaeda-san is on his way to recovery, and I thought if you didn't want to leave maybe- maybe this would help." She looked over at Hajime hopefully.  
"You'll have to get sanitized first, of course, and- um, I don't quite know how long you can stay but, at least for a while." She looked down at the ground.  
"So please don't hate me." She whispered, almost to quiet to hear.

"Oh thank god.." Hajime let out a huge sigh of relief, "please, lead the way, I just want him to be okay." Hajime said, leaving Souda and his mom. 

The nurse led him through basic sanitary procedures, whereupon he was finally let into Nagito's hospital room. 

Nagito was splayed out on the bed, connected by tubes and wires to at least four machines. The nurse explained what they were, but Hajime didn't listen. All he could focus on was Nagito, bandaged and bruised but alive and breathing.  
"Um... So I'm going to briefly leave to take care of some things. If anything happens, just call out and I'll be right there." She said and disappeared out the door.

Hajime gave a soft nod and sat down by Nagito's cot. It was almost scarier seeing him hooked up to so many machines than lying on the bathroom floor all bloody- no. This was good, or at least better. He was getting help, he was going to be okay- he was going to get justice. They'd sue Titus, they'd get him a lifetime, or a death sentence or- Komaeda was going to be alright, Komaeda was going to survive, and Hajime would be there for him for whatever he needed.

"We'll get you everything you need and deserve," he promised the unconscious man.  
"I'll make sakura mochi for you too, as soon as you wake up, okay?"

Nagito's drugged body didn't move, or even do anything to acknowledge Hajime's presence, which to be fair was probably a blessing.  
The mental and physical strain he'd been put through was enough to drive people insane, and this drug-induced sleep was probably the calmest one he'd experience in a while. Nagito didn't even dream, just drifted through an inky blackness like a leaf in the air or a lily pad in a pond.  
Poetic metaphors to describe a much less poetic situation.

Hajime pulled out his newly sanitized phone and texted Chiaki,  
"Komaeda in hospital. Won't come to work tomorrow," before putting it away and laid his head on the corner of Nagito's bed. The relief of knowing he was alive and was going to be okay enough to calm him to get sleepy again. He had been up since four this morning after all.

About two hours later, Mikan Tsumiki pushed open the door to Nagito's room to usher Hajime out. She came upon a sleeping Hajime, curled up on a chair by Nagito's body in the hospital bed, and decided then and there to talk to her supervisor about wheeling in a second bed. Sleeping like that couldn't possibly be good for your back, she found and after having looked through Nagito's mental records earlier she came to the conclusion that he would greatly benefit from having a familiar person next to him when he woke up.  
She quietly backed out of the room, shut the door and left to find the doctor in charge.

Meanwhile, Souda woke up with a sore neck, sleeping on Mrs. Hinata-Kamukura's shoulder. He woke up mid-snore.  
"Ha- wah?" he woke up startled and confused. "Where's Hajime?"

Natsuki leaned her head in her hand.  
"You must be Souda-san, I take it? My how you've grown since we last met." She answered, still not fully awake.

Souda looked at her in confusion before recognizing her. "Well, so have you, but only in beauty. How's Izuru?"

Natsuki smiled at him. "As ambitious as ever. She hasn't lost a case in the last three years, my husband is beside himself with joy."  
Her chest burst with pride, but she quickly realized this wasn't the time.  
"In regards to my son, he was let in by a nurse. I assume he fell asleep, much like we did."  
She said, gesturing toward Komaeda's room.

"I'm glad everything worked out. And I'm glad I actually recognized Komaeda-san," Souda said in relief and got up.  
"I'm going to head home since I have a work interview tomorrow," he said and stifled a yawn.

"Of course," Natsuki said. "Truthfully I have some work I should be competing as well, however-" She glanced over at the patients' room. "I'll stay for a while longer. Good luck with your interview, Souda-kun."

"Come over in case you need a coffee other than what they serve at the hospital or if you want the key to Hajime's apartment," he said and stretched before waving goodbye and left

Natsuki leaned back against the plastic hospital chair, taking this opportunity to answer some e-mails and inform her co-workers about the situation. She wondered when her son would wake up, though since he'd been awake so late she supposed it was only natural he'd be out for a few more hours. That was fine. She was overdue for taking some time off, anyway.

Hajime didn't wake up until the nurse from before rolled in an extra hospital bed and then excused himself to go out and talk to his mom.  
"Hi mom, thank you so much for coming," he said, hugging her.

"Of course I came, you needed me, dearie. How is your friend?" Natsuki asked when they'd broken off the hug.

"Stable. He's going to be okay but it's going to take time," he told her and fished out his apartment key.  
"I'll probably be sleeping here tonight but I have leftovers from the café at home and the futons are rolled out if you want to wait there. I understand if you want to go home though," he said and rubbed his stinging eyes.

"I took some time off work," Natsuki answered simply.  
"Your apartment is only a couple of minutes away from here, correct? I'd prefer to be close by for a while, in case something happens."  
As she was pocketing her phone, she remembered something else.  
"Right. You should probably call your sister. She messaged me concernedly, said that you'd suggested a new client but not answered any of her texts."

"Okay. Thank you mom," he said, giving her another hug before giving her the key. "I'll call her right now.". Hajime fished out his phone and saw that he had a chain of unread messages from Izuru and pressed on her contact and called.

Izuru Kamukura swatted irritatedly at her phone as it started to vibrate next to her on the desk. She was in the middle of research for an international case concerning a double homicide, and she had no time to answer calls.

When she saw the caller-ID however, she changed her mind. Her mind supplied that it had gone 5 hours, 23 minutes and 12 seconds since her younger brother, Hajime Hinata last contacted her. She'd messaged back a total of 12 times, periodically with a variation on the Fibonacci sequence determining the length of time between texts. The last time had been 24 minutes and 47 seconds ago.  
Izuru immediately put down the pencil and picked up the phone.

"Hajime." She said, byways of greeting. She'd never been good at talking to people, and especially bad at talking to her brother.

"Izuru. I just read your texts, and I'm sorry to disturb at this time. Mom said you were going to take Komaeda's case?" he asked to confirm, hating how formal their conversations were.

Komaeda Nagito. The client that Hajime had suggested to her via text. Izuru had done some research, but apart from a note about a related accident 12 years ago, there was precious little about him in the records.  
"If he'll allow me to take the case, I will without hesitation," Izuru answered, professional as ever. She couldn't quite figure out how to explain that she'd gladly do it because it was Hajime who asked, but she figured it was good enough. He didn't need to know that anyway.

"There's been another addition to it all. He's currently in the hospital in the emergency ward after his abuser- sexually abused him and then tried to kill himself," he said, getting nauseous just thinking back at it.  
"He was about - he was- he was almost murdered by the time the police showed up too," he informed her, wanting to throw up.

Izuru's heart skipped a beat.  
"An escaped abuse victim who was found and kidnapped by his abuser? What the hell is the Tokyo Police department doing?!" She demanded, before regaining her composure. 

"Hajime. You are not harmed, correct? I take it you're at a hospital right now. Could you tell me which one? I'll try to find out anything I can, but there's not much I can do without his permission to defend."

"He's unconscious right now, in the emergency ward in Fukugawa. Mom is here too," he said, a bit nervous and queasy about that dynamic but this wasn't about him.  
"I'll be sleeping here tonight. Mom's head over to my apartment at the moment. I'll call you when he wakes up." he said and looked back to Nagito's room. He was still in pajamas.

"Right. Please do." Izuru mumbled, already pulling up Nagito's file on her computer. "Would you happen to know the name of the accused?" She asked after a beat of silence.

"Titus. I don't know his last name. He's American." Hajime told her. "I think he's in the same hospital. I could ask the receptionist." he offered.

"Don't. It might come back to bite us if we decide to indict him." Izuru said distractedly. "I'll keep looking. Call me when he wakes up." She finished.  
"Have a good night, Hajime."  
She hung up, after having talked for exactly 5 minutes and 2 seconds. Hajime had sounded worried, angry and upset and he'd been crying. Izuru was glad he'd called their mother.

She pushed the thoughts aside, and put aside the file about the double-homicide. More than likely, the defendant's son was the culprit anyway. It no longer held any interest.

Hajime headed back, going through the sterilization process again and headed into the nurse.  
"I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier, you were just doing your job and I was really stressed. It's no excuse but I shouldn't have been so rude," he said and bowed deeply at a 45° angle.

The nurse blinked once, twice. She put a hand over her chest in shock. "You... You're apologizing? To- to me?" She covered her face in her hands, giggling. "N-nobody has ever- thank you very much, sir. You're so- so kind." She looked down at the ground for a moment, bright red, and then quickly bowed. "Excuse me please!" She said, backing out quickly.

Hajime stood up straight and cast a glance over to Nagito. It looked like something out of a sci-fi movie, where the cyborg is charging. He shuddered and laid down in the bed which had been pushed in for him. "Please wake up soon."

Nagito was lost in a sedated, dreamless sleep for over 10 additional hours. He would later muse that is was the longest time he'd slept in a long time. 

The first thing Nagito felt when he woke up was tired. Not mentally, but a prevailing drowsiness had all of his limbs limp and impossible to move. For one, terrible second, he thought Titus had paralyzed him, maybe to ensure he didn't run away, but then he heard the beeping. A steady rhythm, piercing to the quiet and blackness. Nagito recognized this beeping. He'd heard it before, back when Hajime had gone with him in the ambulance. Was he in an ambulance? He didn't think so. He couldn't feel any movement. Was there anyone to ask? Nagito couldn't get his eyelids to open or his body to move. He could move his tongue a bit, but not enough to speak.  
Nagito thought he should probably be afraid, but he was too drowsy. He kind of liked the quiet dark, it was a welcome respite from the hell he knew awaited him when he opened his eyes.

Hajime had just gotten back from taking a break in his vigil to have lunch with his mom and gotten some things for both him and Nagito if he got to stay there with him if only for a little while. Like a toothbrush. And his laptop. He took a seat on the bed he'd been issued and pulled it up and began filling in the budget for the next month, putting on soft instrumental music as he typed to the rhythm.

The sound of a door opening startled Nagito, but he was still too drowsy to react. He was a bit upset that his quiet had been broken, especially when he could hear a strange clicking noise join the usual beeping. The noise was erratic and strange and foreign, it wasn't supposed to exist in the blackness. Still, Nagito was powerless to stop it and so he let it be, focusing on being able to open his eyes instead. He could move his toes now, and the tips of his fingers. The effort required was great, but Nagito was proud of this achievement. 

"So, Komaeda, I wonder if you're planning to wake up soon?" Hajime asked what he thought was his new unconscious friend. "Not so talkative? That's okay. Take your time. I'll talk instead." he said and laid back. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let you go alone."

Nagito's quiet was pierced by an unfamiliar voice. At least, Nagito thought it was unfamiliar. He could certainly never remember Titus speaking in that soft, accommodating tone, and who other than Titus would be speaking with him anyway? Why was Titus apologizing to him though? Why was Titus using his last name? It didn't make sense. Nagito tried harder to get his eyes open, he wanted to see who was talking to him. He still couldn't though, and he didn't have the strength to lift any limbs. He laid back instead, focusing on the soft voice an trying to discern who was talking.

"I shouldn't have let out go alone, I should've stuck by your side and kept you safe. That way we'd probably be on our way to the bakery right now," he said.  
"My mom's in town. My sister is on her way. We're going to get you justice for everything." he promised no one in particular.  
"You never told me a lot about you. Like your favorite food--but I do know you like sakura mochi. Or your favorite animal, or what you like to do for fun. That's okay though. Because when you wake up we'll have all of the time in the world to talk and you'll be safe and that demon will be rotting away somewhere."

Nagito drifted through the words, picking them apart listlessly. He thought he remembered a bakery, he'd gone with Titus one day but also...Afterward? Without Titus? His memory was muddled. Whoever was talking, he was pretty sure by this point wasn't Titus, which begged the question of where he was. Nagito thought he could vaguely remember the voice now, though he couldn't recall a name.  
The person was wondering about his favorite food and animal? Didn't they realize Nagito didn't have anything like that? Didn't they realize his opinion was worthless anyhow? He wanted to open his eyes, reassure the person that this was just bad luck. He was used to it. Whoever this kind individual was, didn't need to worry about him. 

"Right! I promised to make you sakura mochi for new years, didn't I? I'll have to make some for when you get out of the hospital instead. To celebrate." he said to himself.  
"I hope you don't mind, I'm doing my household economy right now and it's really boring. But I'm saving a lot so I can buy something nice. Maybe to share with friends. Like you and Souda and Nanami." he said and sat up again with his laptop.

Nagito wanted to say that he didn't mind, but he couldn't move his mouth. His mind felt a bit clearer though, and he didn't know why but the not-quite-strangers voice was soothing. He vaguely recognized the names "Souda and Nanami." From the...cafe, right?  
He did realize, however, that his eyelids weren't quite as heavy anymore. He felt as if be could almost...

Bright. Bright white light met Nagito's eyes, and he shut them again with a whimper. His head started to pound the moment he tried to move it, and he hurriedly took refuge within the generous darkness. 

"Komaeda? You awake?" Hajime asked, a flush spreading over his face. What had he been babbling on about?! "

Nagito let out a non-commital groan. His head hurt, but he had now regained control of his entire right hand. He managed to lift it and gently let it fall back down onto the mattress.

Nagito groaned again as the door shut, the sound disturbing his quiet. Now that the not-quite-stranger had left, the quiet was absolute once again, but less comforting this time. Nagito found himself wondering where the other person had gone. He'd kind of enjoyed listening to him talk, even if he couldn't understand most of it.

Hajime soon returned with Tsumiki in his heels, the nurse quickly checking vitals and going through procedures as normal. "Komaeda-San? I need you to open your eyes for a check of your visual response to light."

Nagito tried to, pretty unsuccessfully, shake his head in response. Opening his eyes hurt, and besides, he didn't recognize this voice.

"This is a nurse, Tsumiki Mikan. She's the one who's been taking care of you these past hours. She just wants to help." Hajime promised.  
"I- 'm sorry Komaeda-san, please don't hate me but I kinda need you to open your eyes so I can check your response to light, I'll even turn off the lights in the room!"

Nagito debated whether to keep arguing, but he decided that the apparently two people currently in his room wouldn't stop talking until he complied.  
With tremendous effort, he managed to get his eyes open, and immediately the sensory input overloaded him. His head pounded, and the Light felt like it was burning his eyes, even though the lights were now off.

"Thank you, Komaeda," Hajime said brightly, Tsumiki quickly checking his eyes response and told him he could close his eyes again.  
"Your eyes are okay but you're more than likely concussed. We need to check for internal bleeding too, but a doctor has to administrate that."

"W-what's going on?" Nagito asked hoarsely. His throat hurt terribly, but he was glad to hear he could speak reasonably. "Where's Titus?" He asked, having noted his absence earlier.

"Titus-" Hajime spat. "Is getting his stomach pumped and then he's going to get incarcerated." Hajime frowned, getting pissed at only the mention of the man. "What's his Surname? For science reasons."

"Wait... Incarcerated? I don't think I understand?" Nagito groaned.  
He opened his eyes again, much easier and tried to look around the room. Problem was, he was lying down and unable to lift his heavy head. He ended up seeing nothing but the dim hospital ceiling, but he counted it as a win anyhow.

"He's going to rot in jail. My sister is on her way, you know, the prosecutor? If you allow her to take your case we'll get him a lifetime or a death sentence." he growled. "We'll get you justice, Komaeda."

Nagito turned his head toward the sound. Now he realized how he recognized the voice, and berated himself for not figuring it out sooner.  
"Hinata-kun? Why are you here? Where are we?" Nagito asked confusedly.

"We're in the hospital, Nagito how much do you remember?" he asked softly, realizing just now that Nagito might have forgotten. A lot.

"Dunno," Nagito said.  
"My mind's muddled. I think we... Went to the library, right? And read? Did I get into some kind of accident? Did I fall off another bridge?" He tried to remember but after sitting down to read in Hajime's apartment his mind was terribly muddled.  
"I hope I didn't worry you too much. I should have warned you I have terrible luck."

"No, even worse, and I could've prevented it- Komaeda, I'm so sorry," he said, taking his hand pressed his forehead carefully to it.

Nagito pressed his palm against Hajime's forehead soothingly.  
"I... Don't know exactly what happened, Hinata-kun but you're a Good person. You have absolutely nothing to apologize for. If anything, I should be sorry for making you care and worry about someone like me."

"Please don't ever apologize for that," Hajime said, holding Komaeda's hand carefully. "Just focus on making a speedy and full recovery. My sister will take care of everything if you agree to let her."

Nagito nodded dazedly.  
"I will. You won't need to worry about me anymore, Hinata-kun." He swallowed dryly.  
"But... What's your sister going to take care of? I told you that you shouldn't call her if it made you uncomfortable, didn't I? You shouldn't go to any trouble for someone like me."

"It's okay, Komaeda. This case needs her. She hasn't lost a single case the last three years, she's going to make sure Titus gets the punishment he deserves." Hajime said and let go of his hands.

"If you say so. I'll do anything you want me to, Hinata-kun. It's the least I can do to repay you. What does she need from me?" Nagito conceded, already missing the warmth of Hajime's hand in his.

"I just want you to be okay, to get better, to realize how much you're worth and how much that means to the people around you. And I want that fucking demon to burn in the seventh circle of hell." he said the last bit of through gritted teeth.

Nagito smiled softly. "It's okay, Hinata-kun. You're too compassionate for your own good sometimes." He moved his hand a bit closer to the edge of the bed, letting it fall off in a vain attempt to get Hajime to catch onto it.

Hajime didn't catch it in time but he got the hind and took his hand again.  
"You have to be careful, Komaeda. You have an IV." he pointed out and took a seat next to him as Tsumiki did whatever nurses do.

"Right. Sorry, Hinata-kun." Nagito said immediately. He felt guilty about it but enjoyed Hajime's tough enough that he didn't want him to let go of his hand. Then he realized something.  
"Hinata-kun, you've been up since four this morning. What's the time? Aren't you tired?"

"No, I've slept here too. I even slept in." he told him. "The kind nurse rolled in a bed for me too. You've been sedated and slept for over ten hours, but please don't worry. Everything has been taken care of." Hajime assured him and gently stroked Nagito's hand with his thumbs.

"I see." Nagito muttered dazedly. He tried to think back, but he certainly didn't remember sleeping for ten hours. Then again, there was a lot of stuff he didn't remember.  
"Hinata-kun? If... It's not too much trouble, could you tell me what exactly happened? Why... Am I here?"

"Are you sure?" Hajime asked. "It's pretty gruesome.." He cast a glance at Nagito's bandaged throat and head.

Nagito laughed dryly. "I can't imagine it's that much worse than other things I've lived through, to be perfectly honest. These injuries are pretty severe, but not life-threatening." 

Hajime took a deep breath and braced himself before opening his mouth.  
"It started when you sought me out after /he/ had drugged you and raped you. We froze your bank account and then I took you to the hospital and as soon as you were fit to leave I took you home with me. You stayed with me but last night I said something and you went out for air. The next thing I know Souda is calling me and telling me he's seen you being dragged away by /him/ again. Souda followed you and looked up your address and called 112. The police and the ambulance got there and when they kicked in the door you were-" 

Hajime swallowed hard again. He couldn't believe he had to recite it all again. He couldn't imagine what Nagito had gone through, how was this man still alive? If Hajime had gone through everything he'd done he'd have killed himself way earlier.

"-You were lying on the floor of your bathroom and- oh god there was so much blood and-" He swallowed down bile, forcing himself to continue in a level, clinical voice.

"Titus had sexually tortured and abused you. I don't know the medical details but- um- you were bleeding, the nurse said your ribs were cracked and your wrists and throat was bruised. You...you were almost dead when we finally found you."

Hajime was positive that he'd throw up within a minute.  
"There was so much blood, and you have so many bruises and cuts and- God, Komaeda I'm so sorry I let you go alone, I'm so sorry no one has stepped in before this, I'll do anything to make it up to you-" he said, on the verge of crying again.  
"You're so so strong to have gone through this and come out alive, Komaeda, you're an inspiration-"

Nagito's head swam. He remembered most of the first part of the story, Hajime taking care of him and nursing him back to health, going to the library and reading together.  
Hajime's words jolted some memories free for him too, mostly impressions of being scared and lonely and walking through a street. Nagito thought he could probably remember more if he focused, but Hajime had tears in his eyes and that was more important than himself.

"I figured I was correct." He rasped, squeezing Hajime's hand.  
"Nothing is your fault, Hinata-kun. You're the only person who ever...who ever worried about me. So you can't say it's your fault. You're a good person, you did nothing wrong. You don't need to make anything up to me, not ever. This is all because of my bad luck, I made you worry about me. If anything it's my fault. I should be the one begging for forgiveness."

"It's really not." He said with a small nod. "It most definitely absolutely, certainly is not your fault in any way. I'm just glad you're safe now, I just wish we'd gotten to you earlier."

"I'm so incredibly, fantastically lucky you found me at all." Nagito argued. "It almost makes all the bad luck worth it."  
He didn't know if he was talking about Hajime supposedly saving him, or just in general. He figured it didn't really matter. The sentiment was true either way.

"Please do your best to recover from your injuries. Take it easy and do as the nurses say. You're very welcome home to the apartment and to the café after you get discharged." Hajime told him, still holding his hand.

Nagito smiled drowsily. "I'd...really like that." The realization hit him, and his breath was momentarily punched out of him." Wait. Did you say... Did you say Titus OD'd? Is he...is he okay?"

"I don't know. I hope he's in a lot of pain though, but that he survives just so he can be sentenced to life or banned from the country or given the death penalty."  
Hajime said, trying not to squeeze Nagito's hand. He doubted he'd ever hated someone as much as him.

Nagito sensed Hajime's distress, and immediately felt bad for making him remember something so upsetting. "I'm sorry, Hajime. I shouldn't have brought it up."  
Whenever Nagito tried to think back, he was hit with a deep-rooted fear. It was unpleasant enough that he didn't even want to try to remember anymore, preferring to focus on Hajime.

"I hope his kidneys are failing." he said through gritted teeth, not even going to pretend to hide his hatred. "Do you want me to put on a podcast? It must hurt to talk with your bruised throat."

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me, Hinata-kun." Nagito began, immediately being cut off by his raspy throat. Damn the universe.  
"I wouldn't know any good ones, but I wouldn't object to it." He tried again, after clearing his throat.

"I'll see what I can find." he said and let go of his hand to fetch his laptop.  
"Oh, and your arm was dislocated. That's why your shoulder might be sore." He said and searched for audio books.  
"Hey Komaeda, do you remember which page you were on in your book? I found it as an audiobook."

"My- oh. That's why I can't move it without it hurting. I was wondering about that." Nagito mumbled, trying to remember. "It was...chapter 17. About halfway through the book, if I remember correctly."

"Do you wanna listen to it?" he asked, scrolling through the chapters and found it. "Or something else?"

"If you don't object." Nagito said immediately. "I'm honestly feeling exhausted though, so there's a good chance I might fall asleep during it." 

He let his eyes fall shut for a few seconds, then blinked back up at Hajime. "By the way, Hinata-kun. You really don't have to keep me company if you don't want to. I understand I must not be very entertaining right now. If you'd rather go home, or to work or meet up with Souda-san and the others I wouldn't mind."  
Terribly, his mind supplied. He wouldn't mind terribly. That wasn't the truth either, but it was closer. Though, Hajime didn't need to know that.

"It's okay. If you don't want me here I'm okay with that too. But while you're stuck here not being able to do much I thought it might be nice to have at least someone you know here with you. I'll go back to work after you get better." he said. He'd already emailed his boss and told him that he had to take a little time off for a family emergency and received an ok.

Nagito felt warmth wash over him, a pleasant feeling that soothed and made him sink further into the pillows. Hajime really was too nice for his own good.  
"I don't think I'll ever understand you, Hinata-kun." he murmured as his eyes fell shut.  
"Your altruism towards someone like me is astounding."

"I might go out of my way a little bit extra for you." he laughed, a little bit embarrassed as he thought about it. "You deserve positive experiences in your life though, after everything you've been through." 

"See, proving my point." Nagito said, yawning. "Only someone amazing would say anything like that about a waste of space like me." 

*Does he treat you well or like you deserve? He's spoiling you, giving you false hope. Making you think you're actually worth anything.*

Nagito heard Titus voice crystal clear in his mind. It made his breath quicken while causing him to squeeze his eyes shut in an attempt to shut it up. Stop it. He told himself, but the words made some amount of sense to Nagito. Not that it was any fault of Hajime's but he really didn't think he was worth all of this care and worry. 

"Komaeda, you okay?" Hajime asked, the heart monitor nullifying any attempts Nagito had made to act like everything was okay.  
"Did I say something?" 

Nagito quickly shook his head. "It's my fault. I just...can't get him to shut up, I suppose. It's really nothing you should-" At this point, Nagito was tired enough to not even want to finish the sentence. He'd told Hajime not to worry so many times that day, that he could probably fill in the blanks himself at this point.

"Hey, it's okay. I don't really know how to make it better or what he's saying but may I ask something of you?" Hajime asked, heart, aching in empathy, not even wanting to imagine the pain Nagito must be in.  
"Can you trust me?" 

"Of course." Nagito said immediately. "I'd do anything for y-" He cut himself off. Could he really promise that? Nagito didn't really even know what trusting someone meant. He figured he'd trusted his parents, but he barely remembered any of that and since then he's not exactly met many people he could trust.  
"I...honestly, I'm not sure I know how to. But- I'll try my best, Hinata-kun. It's the least I can do, considering all you've done for me."

"Thank you. I'm going to do my absolute best to not let you down. So please believe me when I say that it's not your fault. It's not your fault and you don't deserve the horrible treatment he gave you." Hajime said softly. "You're worth so much better." 

Nagito's vision blurred, and he didn't realize it was with tears until they were running down his cheeks. "I'll...I'll try." He murmured, even as his mind screamed at him that he was a crazy, insane nut case who should be locked up and that he deserved everything Titus put him through. "It's not fair." He muttered. "Why won't he leave me alone?" 

"I don't know.. I really don't know. I wish I could just clap my hands and then everything would be okay but I know that it doesn't work like that and that healing takes time. But the best you can do is to not believe him. I don't know how to shut him out, just don't believe him, Komaeda." Hajime urged him as he watched him cry, unsure if he should wipe his tears.  
"I'm sure we'll be able to find you a therapist who can help you better than I can, but for now, don't believe what he's telling you."  
He ended up wiping his tears anyway with the arm of his hoodie.

Nagito nuzzled his cheek into Hajime's hand. "Sorry." He muttered. "I know I said I'd do anything but- I just can't shut him out." He groaned, pushing his palm against his forehead. 

"It's okay Komaeda." he murmured, stroking his cheek.  
"I'm not demanding anything from you, just please don't believe him. I'll tell you this as many times as you need. You're precious and you matter and what he did to you is unforgivable." 

Nagito couldn't bring himself to answer, shutting his eyes and enjoying Hajime's soft touch instead. A sense of calm and quiet washed over him and- "Hinata-kun's hands are soft." Wait, did he say that out loud? Nagito honestly couldn't say, and he was tired enough to where he didn't particularly care.

"I'm glad you think so." He chuckled. "I guess kneading so much dough moisturizes them somehow. You should probably sleep a bit more if you need it. We can listen to the book later. I'll be doing some more budgeting." he said, carefully wiping the last remnants of tears from Nagito's cheeks. 

Nagito nodded drowsily. He was moments from falling back asleep anyhow, but with the added comfort of Hajime stroking his cheek it came easily.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. Many. Hits and kudos. You guys are absolutely amazing, thank you for taking the time out of your day to read through this :)

Nagito enjoyed calm sleep for a few hours, still probably impacted by his medication.  
Eventually, though, his dreams turned more vivid. 

Memories of the horrible events of the day prior intermingled with fever dreams. Nagito relived Titus's verbal abuse, being pulled through the crowd until he felt like he was suffocated, the awful feeling of Titus' fingers crammed down his throat to make him throw up and the pain and humiliation of being chained up against the hot radiator like an animal. When he woke up, he was shivering and sweating, having at some point pulled the cover over his head. He thrashed until it was thrown off him, looking around wildly. He tugged on the wires attached to his hands, imagining they were restraints and that he was being chained down once again.

Hajime had sometime after he was done drowsed up but the agitated beeping of the heart monitor and the clatter of the IV woke him, the other quickly out of bed and by Nagito's side. "Komaeda? Komaeda! Komaeda, stop it!" he called out to the other.  
"Komaeda, you're safe, please calm down," he begged as the recently changed bandages were getting a worryingly crimson color.  
Maybe he'd pulled a stitch? He should really call a nurse, he just needed the other to calm first.

As soon as Hajime told him to stop, Nagito's body froze in fear. He'd been so panicked he'd completely forgotten himself. The restraining was part of his punishment, it had to be. In that scenario, the smartest thing for Nagito to do was comply and hope that might dull the pain that he already felt along his arms.  
He ended up curling his knees up to his chest, bringing his arms up to circle his body in the fetal position as he sobbed for forgiveness and shook.

"OH- Komaeda, please, please, I'm not going to hurt you. You're safe, you're in the hospital-" Hajime took a deep breath and went back to what his sister told him about PTSD flashbacks and he took a seat next to Komaeda.

"Komaeda, you're having a flashback, you're currently in the hospital. You're hooked up to a few things, one of them being an IV, one of them is blood, another is a heart monitor and the fourth I'm really not sure of. I'm Hajime Hinata, a baker, and manager at HOPE coffee. Do you know where you are?"

Talk, don't touch. Remain calm. Ask them where they are, ground them. Hug after if they're comfortable with it- it triggers an oxytocin release- okay, let's do this. 

"It's okay if you don't it's not your fault. Do you want a glass of water?" he offered and took off his hoodie, going through his mental checklist of how to ground someone.  
Offer them something to chew or drink. Chewing and swallowing can help. Make them aware of their surroundings. Offer them cloth or a towel to hold. Don't ask about what they're experiencing. 

Did Nagito know where he was? The last thing he remembered, he was restrained to the radiator in his bathroom, so that had to be where he was now, right? Or was it a trick question? Was Nagito supposed to answer "beneath you" or something to that effect? He didn't know, and his heart raced as he scrambled to find a good answer.  
"I'm Sorry- please don't hurt me, I won't run away again please I'll be good."

He settled with begging, which might make Titus a bit more lenient if he was in a good mood. "Please, you won't have to restrain me, I won't run away, you can do whatever you want to me just please." He tugged at the restraints on his arm uselessly.

"Komaeda, can you look around yourself? Tell me five things you can see." Hajime asked of him with feigned calmness.

Internally he was freaking out. 

Nagito had definitely pulled a stitch but he had to calm him down and bring him back before doing anything else.  
"I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not going to do anything you don't want. I'm not even going to touch your hand unless you want me to. So can you please tell me five things you can see?" he said and folded his hoodie to give it to Nagito if he couldn't answer. 

Nagito forced his eyes open, heart pounding as he breathlessly tried to comply. He didn't know why this was a part of his punishment, but it was a hell lot better than being hit or touched so he tried his best to comply before Titus changed his mind.  
His vision was blurry and unfocused, tears making it difficult to see but he managed to make out the contrasts of a few things.  
"There's... A window. And a chair, and... Some kind of computer screen?" He mumbled dazedly.

"Correct, good job Komaeda. Can you see two more things?" Hajime praised, deciding to hold off with the hoodie just a little longer.  
"If so can you tell me what they are?" 

"A table?" Nagito squinted through his blurry eyes, squeezing his arms tighter around himself. There was something on the table, but Nagito couldn't see what it was. He tried and tried to squint and blink but his vision didn't clear. Eventually, he became scared he'd taken too long and choked out a sob.  
"I... I can't see. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, I'm so pathetic I can't even accomplish this." He braced himself to be hit or worse, hiding his face in his unruly hair.

"Shh, shh, no you're not, you're not pathetic Komaeda. Here, do you want to borrow this?" Hajime asked and took a deep breath and offered his hoodie. "It's okay, you're okay. Can you see what it is?" 

Nagito hesitantly unwound his arms from around himself to grab the offered garment. He lifted his gaze as his vision cleared a bit and tried to identify the object. Then his eyes landed on something behind it, and a spike of fear went through his body like a dousing of cold water.  
An IV stand. Nagito was in a hospital. Titus must have finally gotten tired of him and sent him away. "Put him down" As he'd put it.  
His breathing turned harsh and ragged as Nagito desperately tried to get a grasp of the situation. He was in way more danger now, he realized, in an environment, he had no idea how to deal with. Was the person he was talking to a doctor? A psychiatrist? Was he strapped down to be questioned or experimented on?

"Komaeda? Komaeda, please breathe. Do you know where you are?" Hajime repeated. This was okay, this was fine, things like these happened all the time, it was okay if it got worse because it would get better later. He took a deep breath and calmed down. 

How did the doctor know his name? Why had the doctor wanted him to name objects? Was he checking to see if Nagito was sane?  
"Please please I'm not crazy don't lock me up I promise I'm not." He mumbled deliriously, crushing his arms to his chest.

"I know you're not, I'm not going to lock you up. Komaeda, can you tell me four things you can hear right now?" he wondered, hands itching to pull him in for a hug and just wish everything away. He wasn't going to do that though. He knew better than that from his psychology classes.

Nagito calmed himself down a bit. He needed to make sure he answered so the doctor didn't think he was insane. "I hear...your voice." He mumbled.  
"The beeping... And, uh, someone else is talking, outside I think?" He thought hard, trying to pick up on more noises.  
"I hear breathing." He settled on at last. A sense of relief settled in his chest at having completed his task.  
"See? I'm not crazy, you see that, right? Please, I'll do anything. I'm- uh I have a high tolerance for pain, so I can take anything, I'll do whatever I say, just please please please don't lock me up." Nagito rambled incoherently, letting his desperation dictate his words.

"Komaeda, I'm not going to lock you up. Do you know who I am?" he asked and scooted closer. "May I touch you?"  
"It's okay to say no."

"Of course. You can do anything to me, hit me touch me whatever you want. I don't mind as long as it's you." Nagito rambled deliriously.

"Who am I?" Hajime wondered, refraining from touching him just yet. 

"You're a doctor, aren't you?" Nagito asked, hesitantly opening his eyes and peering out from under his ruffled hair.

"No, please look at me? I'm not a doctor. I'm Hajime Hinata. Do you remember me?" he asked as he finally caught Nagito's attention.

"Ha..jime... Hinata-kun?" Nagito asked slowly, daring to unfurl his arms a bit so he could easier see. His gaze landed on a vaguely panicked Hajime, and shame hit him like a slap in the face.  
"Oh, Hinata-kun. I'm so sorry." He yelped immediately, hiding his face in his hands.

"Hey, no. It's okay. Komaeda, I don't blame you. Did you have a nightmare?" he dared to ask. "You don't have to tell me."

Nagito nodded, recalling his night terrors with shame. "I did. If- I don't think you want to hear about it. I don't want to upset you." He said miserably, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.

"May I hug you?" he asked. "It's up to you if you want to talk about it, but if you're uncomfortable doing so that's okay too."

Nagito nodded, unfurling his legs to give Hajime better access. "It's like I said before. I don't mind if it's you." He mumbled before he could stop himself. "I'll tell you if you want me to." He promised.

Hajime came close and wrapped him in a hug, holding him tightly yet not hard.  
"How are you feeling right now?" he asked, not letting go until he heard Nagito's heartbeat calm down.

"Better," Nagito said, head buried in the crook of Hajime's neck as he revealed in the touch. "I must have scared you, Hinata-kun. I'm sorry."

"I'm alright. I'm not mad at you. I think you pulled one of your stitches though. Will you be okay if I call a nurse?" he asked, careful when stroking his head. He was after all scheduled for the CAT scan to check for any internal bleeding.  
He had a pretty nasty bump too under all those bandages.

"If you think it's best," Nagito said simply.  
He truly didn't want anything to do with more doctors, but he realized that was not a viable option. He leaned further into Hajime's hold, hesitantly moving one arm to awkwardly hug Hajime's side with his limited movement. 

"I do. You're bleeding through your gauze." Hajime informed him and pressed the call nurse button, still holding him in a hug.

Nagito looked down at his arm. "Oh. I'm sorry, I didn't even realize. "  
He reluctantly untangled himself from Hajime a bit, still close enough that their arms are touching, as the nurse entered a few minutes later. Nagito was scolded for moving too much while the nurse replaced his gauze, and he took the scolding quietly, a bit intimidated by the woman.  
"I'm sorry. It won't happen again." He assured her when she was done.

"It better not! A hospital is a place for healing, not getting injured," she said after having sutured the wound again.  
"Your blood levels are back to normal now so I'm going to unhook you from that one now, the way I have your arm?" she asked, Hajime moving out of her way. 

Nagito offered it silently, allowing the nurse to unhook the tube and bandage the spot on his arm with a band-aid. Nagito celebrated that he could now move at least one arm freely, though the restraints imposed by the IV on his other arm still bothered him.  
Not that he was in any condition to move around anyhow, the nurse reminded him, but still. Nagito really didn't like not being in complete control, especially not when that involved restraints. 

After the nurse was done she left the room, telling them that the CAT scan would proceed later during the day. "Hinata-kun, what does she mean?" Nagito asked when she'd shut the door behind herself.

"Do you remember what I told you earlier about why you're in the hospital?" he wondered and sat back down on the edge of Nagito's bed. 

Nagito nodded slowly, recalling it both from Hajime's words and his own memories. "I do. I have a head injury, several broken ribs and damage to my genitals, correct?"

"Yeah. They just need to confirm that you don't have an internal bleeding in your head," he said and offered his hand. "I'll come with you if you need me there."

"If...if it wouldn't be too much trouble, I'd appreciate it," Nagito said hesitantly.  
"Is it going to hurt? I know I said I could handle pain, but I'd like to know in advance so I can brace myself. I wouldn't want to cause any trouble by losing control again."

"I don't think so. It's that big white machine if I'm not mistaken." Hajime explained.  
"You just have to lie still for a little while and then it's over. Do you have to use the bathroom? It's been at least a couple of hours." 

"Yeah, you're right." Nagito agreed. He didn't feel any significant need right then, but he wanted to get it over with before whatever the CAT scan was, and Hajime had a point.  
"I don't really know how to escape this-" He gently shook the arm with the IV strap. "-though. Will we have to call the nurse again?"

"No, I think we just bring it with us," he said and folded down the edge guard. "Actually we do. The heart monitor. I'll go see if there's someone nearby." Hajime said. "Promise not to roll out of bed and break your neck while I'm gone." he joked.

Nagito smiled tiredly, settling in his bed to wait for Hajime to return. When he returned with the nurse from before, Nagito was released from the heart monitor and was assisted into a wheelchair by the both of them.

"So, how are you holding up being upright?" Hajime asked as they walked down the corridor to the office.

"I'm fine," Nagito answered automatically. "Really-" He added at Hajime's look. "Just a bit dizzy sometimes, but I'm doing alright."  
They passed a corner, and Nagito had a thought. "You mentioned that your sister wanted to talk to me before?"

"Yeah. She texted me earlier. She's out having lunch now. She said she'd like to meet you after your CAT scan if you're up for it after." he said, finding the bathroom and wheeled Nagito over, not thinking much of it when he entered the bathroom with him.  
"I'll just help you over to the toilet and then I'll leave you to do what you need and then I'll help you back?"

Nagito managed a nod. He was already getting a sense of unease from being inside such a cramped environment, especially considering what he'd just lived through, but he pushed it down. "Alright," Nagito answered airily, steadying himself on the sink as he waited for Hajime.

He kept his eyes fixed on the other, needing the constant reminder that it was Hajime with him and that he was in a hospital, not his apartment.

"And remember that if something goes wrong just call out or press a red button, okay? I'll be waiting right outside." Hajime promised, helping Nagito sit down on the toilet and put down the armrests. ¨  
"That includes flashbacks or if you get dizzy or feel faint. I'll be right outside. I'm just going to give you your privacy." he said, making sure that he could sit upright before leaving.

Nagito somehow managed to get through it without any major mishaps, save for spikes of pain to his head and some dizziness. Still, he breathed a sigh of relief as he steadied himself with the wheelchair and the sink to wash his hands. He still couldn't move his legs very well though, so he was stuck in a somewhat awkward half-standing position as he was forced to call Hajime for help getting into his wheelchair again.

As Hajime guided him down into his seat, Nagito felt yet another stab of guilt. Hajime had admitted to not being in a great financial situation, and yet here he was taking care of Nagito instead of working at his beloved café. 

"Hinata-kun, will the café really be okay without you? I mean, you do the majority of the baking, right? I'd understand if you'd prefer to leave, you know. I know you really like your job."

"I've already contacted my boss and taken a few days off because of a family emergency," he said calmly. "I may not seem like much but I know the system. Can't really cheat it though. Besides, I have a few vacation weeks to cash out from last year anyway."

Hajime wheeled Nagito back down the hallway with the IV and all, looking through the bookshelves with DVDs and books they passed.  
"I might go home when you can eat again though. But I'll come to visit every day."

The thought of him being important enough to be called a "family emergency", even if it was just so Hajime could get out of work for a few days, made Nagito's chest comfortingly warm. 

"I'd be honored to have you visit me."  
He said dazedly, looking down into his lap with a small smile. He still felt a bit guilty, but the certainty in Hajime's voice had lessened the burden quite a bit.

"I'm not really fancy folk or someone to be honored. My sister though- it's impressive that she's even picking up the phone with how busy she is. My point being, you're important Komaeda." he said, turning the corner

"Well, of course, I'm very honored she's taking the time out of her busy day to meet someone like me as well." Nagito clarified immediately.  
"But, I'm afraid you're wrong there, Hinata-kun. I mean, I'm just some random orphan. I'm not a good person, I don't have friends or family, so I'm really not important."

"Well, you are to me," Hajime said, petting Nagito's shoulder carefully. "And to my family."

Nagito felt like all the air had disappeared from his lungs. He couldn't answer, he just sat in his chair, staring down at his lap with shaking shoulders as they came back to his room. When Hajime had helped him get back into bed, Nagito stammered  
"N-nobody has ever said that to me before. Thank you, Hinata-kun."

"Said what? That you're important? Well, you are." he said and stroked his hand before moving the IV back into place so it wouldn't put too much strain on his arm. "How's your head?"

Nagito shrugged. "It doesn't hurt as long as I don't move it."  
He said, which was true but kind of understated the splitting headaches he got whenever he did. He didn't really want to talk about his injuries though, he didn't want Hajime to worry.  
"It hurts a lot less now compared to yesterday anyway if I can remember correctly."

"Well that's a relief." he laughed. "Should I put on the audiobook? I'm thinking maybe you shouldn't read if you're concussed.."

"If it's not a bother," Nagito answered lazily, looking up at the white hospital roof. He wanted to ask Hajime to hold his hand again but quenched the thought as soon as it appeared. He shouldn't take advantage of Hajime when he was already doing so much to help him.

"Oh it's not," he said and fetched his computer and put on the audiobook from chapter 17 and placed it on the chair before he laid down in his bed and listened as well.

He'd read this book so many times he could jump in anywhere.

They both listened in silence, Nagito fighting to not doze off from the soothing sounds until a nurse opened the door.  
"We're going to need to prepare you for the CT scan." She announced, helping Nagito get into a wheelchair as Hajime got up and shut off the book.

"Can I come with?" Hajime asked the nurse, glancing at Nagito. Based on earlier it seemed like he'd want him there with him.

The nurse studied him for a moment, then looked back down at Nagito. Seemingly recalling just what his injuries had come from, she nodded.  
"You're going to be outfitted with a gamma repellant suit, but you may. We normally only offer this to parents, but I'm sure it won't be a problem."

Hajime gave a nod and the quickly smiled at Nagito. "Thank you, really," he said gratefully to the nurse and followed them as she carefully wheeled Nagito away.

The pair were separated after a while, Hajime following the nurse to get a suit while Nagito was put into the care of another nurse.  
He was sat on a large table, while the nurse asked him if he'd eaten or drunk anything during the past few hours, whether he was wearing metal and other routine questions. She also replaced his IV, claiming that the new one was necessary for the procedure. She told him that the scan would only take a few minutes, and to lie completely still. Nagito knew he was good at lying still even when he didn't want to, so he nodded obediently.

Another nurse entered, and Nagito was urged to lie down on the table, which he did. Then one nurse started to push it forward, while Nagito squeezed his eyes shut and lie as calmly and still as he could.

Hajime returned and began talking calmly to Nagito throughout the whole process, telling him about how to bake meringues and the difficulties of it and why traditional Japanese treats were better than European.

With Hajime's words helping him focus, Nagito managed to get through the procedure without any mishaps. After the scan, he was taken outside into another room to await his results and also get something to eat.  
Nagito could barely touch his food, the memory of Titus pressing his face into the pavement, yelling at him and making him grovel nauseating him whenever he tried to ingest a spoonful of potato and leek soup.

"I'd say that went pretty smoothly, how are you feeling?" Hajime asked, happily eating his own soup. 

"You helped a lot." Nagito pointed out.  
"I just hope there's nothing wrong with me, though with my luck I suppose I should be lucky I didn't get radiation poisoning." He laughed tiredly, stirring his soup without eating any.

"Yeah, I think you'll be okay," he said. "This is surprisingly good for hospital food." 

"I'll take your word for it," Nagito said, as he had very limited knowledge of hospital food.  
"The only other time I really remember was when I was young in the children's ward. At that point, I hadn't eaten in two days so I didn't really pay attention to the taste."  
He smiled, trying to lighten the atmosphere. He didn't like the concerned way Hajime looked at him- like he might shatter at any second.

"You should probably try to eat something at least." he pointed out. "The nurse warned you about high blood pressure from the IV or something like that. Izuru is here too and waiting for you."

Nagito looked down into his soup, then forced himself to quickly swallow a spoonful. He resisted the urge to throw up as he swallowed, feeling sick as the soup went down his throat. 

"You're right, Hinata-kun."  
He managed, forcing down another spoonful in the same manner. The nurse had told him that eating was imperative after the treatment, so he knew he had to. It didn't stop his mind from telling him he was disgusting and should throw it up before Titus starved him, though.

"Thank you for trying so hard, Nagito. Truly, thank you." he smiled. He wondered how much he had to force himself to eat before it was enough.

Hajime's encouragement made swallowing down soup a bit easier, even if the ever-present nausea was distracting. Nagito managed to finish a third of his plate, before he had to push it away and hug his middle to try to suppress nauseous shivers.  
He ended up curled into himself in his wheelchair, sipping a glass of water.  
"I'm sorry. I can't even do something as easy as this right." He mumbled against the rim, feeling Hajime's disappointment even though he wasn't meeting his eyes.

"Hey, no. It's okay Komaeda. I'm just glad you managed to eat a little. Please don't push yourself too hard." he said reaching out to give his shoulder an encouraging pat. "Thank you for trying so hard for me."

Nagito froze at the touch at first but managed to relax after a few moments.  
"Right." He conceded, too exhausted to make his point.  
He was exhausted almost constantly now, and he hated it. How was Nagito supposed to not be a burden when he couldn't even walk? 

"It's not exactly your fault that you're hospitalized." Hajime shrugged and sat back to finish his bowl of soup.

No, but it's my fault that you're taking time out of your day to be here. Nagito thought, but he didn't voice the thought. He didn't think he could deal with Hajime's sometimes infuriating compassion right then. He knew it was his fault, but saying it would only serve to make Hajime feel bad.  
Instead, he changed the subject.  
"So, what did your sister want to talk about, anyway?" 

"She wants to take your case to criminal court as acting prosecutor," Hajime told him.  
"Maybe get to know you a little, that is if you're up for it. You're the one in charge of this meeting, just so you know, Komaeda," he said and got up to take the dishes.

Right. Hajime wanted him to take legal action. Truthfully, the thought of being anywhere near Titus made Nagito's legs weak (weaker) with fear, let alone telling a jury about their past in a courtroom, but he wasn't about to refuse when he knew about Hajime's strained relationship to his sister.  
"Alright. I'm fine with it. It's what you think is best right?" He gave Hajime a tired smile. "You're my defacto legal advisor, after all."

"I want to do this so that the fucker gets punished and out of your life for good," he said sternly. "As well as you getting your money back." 

"I know you do. I do too," Nagito agreed despite his body crawling at the thought. He wasn't so naive as to think that this lawsuit would be the end of all of his problems, but maybe it would be a start.  
In any case, it would probably give Hajime some solace, which was something he sorely needed after being dragged into Nagito's mess. It would also be beneficial for Nagito to get his account back.

"Well, you said she wanted to meet me after the scan, right?" He asked, unfurling his legs so that he was sitting normally in his chair. 

"I did say that, didn't I?" Hajime hummed.  
"Well then what are we doing wasting our time here? Let's go?" he said brightly and wheeled Nagito away, the pit of anxiety growing in his gut with every step they took.

\---

Izuru Kamukura approached the front desk of Fukugawa hospital exactly 1 hour and 17 minutes after Hajime's last text, that being 9 hours and 46 minutes since she'd last spoken to him over the phone. She was easily able to obtain the information regarding Nagito Komaeda's room and set course for it as soon as the lady at the desk stopped trembling. Her timid personality and bland looks were boring, much like most people Izuru knew. Most things, were also boring, though this case was shaping up to be more interesting than she'd originally thought. Besides, taking it would grant Hajime a favor, one of the only not-quite-so-boring people Izuru knew.

"She's probably already here. She's very punctual. and practical" Hajime explained to Komaeda as they entered the room, Hajime meeting his sister's intense eyes with uncertainty.  
"Izuru, hello."

Izuru's red eyes swept over the pair who entered, flicking past Hajime's nervous smile to the pale, young man that he was pushing in a wheelchair. He looked much more beat up and fragile than his pictures in the database had suggested, but then again that was to be expected of a domestic abuse and attempted homicide victim. 

"Hello, Hajime." She greeted curtly, lips flicking up into a barely visible smile.  
"You must be Komaeda Nagito, correct?" She continued, studying Nagito intensely. "It's a pleasure. I am certain my brother has introduced me already, but my name is Izuru Kamukura."

"Thank you for meeting me. It's an honor."  
Nagito piped quietly. He was still not very certain that this was the best way to go but he had to trust Hajime. He'd gone through all this trouble just to help him- why? He's just doing this for his own self-satisfaction. He'll abandon you any day now.

Nagito Komaeda: Uncertain, timid and paranoid. From the way he was pushing himself back into his chair, he either found Izuru immensely intimidating or he found solace in being close to Hajime. Possibly both, Izuru concluded.  
He certainly didn't seem like someone who would press charges against his abusers. Izuru wondered if her brother had anything to do with his decision. Hajime had never been able to leave people's own business alone, she recalled.

Realizing that she's been staring into space and thinking for a while, Izuru cleared her throat. 

"As I'm certain you both know why I am here, I'll cut right to the chase. I would like to take your case to court, Komaeda-san. I've heard about your case from Hajime, and I wish to aid you in indicting your abuser."

"So I've heard from Hinata-kun," Nagito said and bit his lip as he battled with nausea from both the food he'd had as well as his anxieties about this meeting  
. "You're very skilled I've heard as well and Hinata puts a lot of trust in you."

The words made Izuru's chest warm, just a little.

"As do I in him. In any case, if you are serious about building a case we have a lot of things to discuss. I should also warn you that your testimony will be very useful, perhaps even crucial in dire circumstances. Knowing this, do you still wish to press charges?"  
Izuru pressed right to the chase, gauging whether this fragile man had the necessary resolve to go through with anything as trying as an abuse case.

Nagito looked down at his hands. He didn't know if he should... What if Titus won- he shouldn't press charges, what had he ever done to him that he didn't actually deserve?  
"What would you advice, as an experienced prosecutor?"

Izuru regarded him silently.  
"I can't tell you what to do, but I can assure you that this is your best shot at getting justice for everything he's put you through. I won't lie to you Komaeda-san, it will be difficult, and you need to make this decision on your own. But I am good, make no mistake about that. If you choose to press charges, I will use every means necessary to fight for your justice. "

"That's another thing, Izuru. We froze their shared bank account almost immediately. I don't know how much money we'd be talking about." Hajime piped in, feeling a bit left out. Please don't back out of this Nagito. You deserve justice, what that disgusting excuse of a man did to you was never justified. What he did to you was despicable, please don't turn this opportunity down, Hajime plead silently.

"I- I'm unsure.." Nagito said head hung.

"I, - I don't want it happening to anyone else, but if it's just my case I don't think it's worth it..." He admitted truthfully. But he'd promised, hadn't he? He'd promised Hajime, but he couldn't bring himself to put them all through so much trouble.

Izuru kept her face level, though her mind raced. Anguish and self-hatred were written on her to-be plaintiff's face as clear as day, easily shining through the guilt and despair.  
She saw Hajime begin to react above him but sent him a warning look that'd hopefully dissuade him from butting in just yet.

"Tell me, Komaeda-san. Is this because you don't want to deal with the trial, or is it because you don't deem yourself worthy of stirring up so much trouble just for the sake of your justice. Perhaps you're either questioning whether your abuser was in the wrong in the first place, is that so? "

Nagito opened his mouth to talk but settled with just nodding instead. "He just treated me like I deserved. I don't think he should be punished for that.." He admitted, his head bent down.

Izuru's expression turned displeased at the same time as Hajime butted into the conversation. "Komaeda! that's not-" Izuru turned her gaze to him coolly. She understood what he was trying to do, but this was the wrong way to handle the situation. 

"Hajime, please calm yourself. Let Komaeda-san do this." She said, before turning her gaze back to Nagito.

"Going by that logic, I assume it was your abuser who told you that such treatment was what you deserve. Is that correct, Komaeda-san? Then, you would say that you trust your abuser's judgment on such things."

"He spent so many years with me so I'd say yes," Nagito said.  
"He put up with someone like me for so long and never once threw me out so I'd say it was all justified. And he was always telling me why he did what he did." Nagito continued.

Ignoring Hajime's sour expression, Izuru put her full focus on Komaeda.  
"You would call your abuser trustworthy then? Someone who would accurately be able to gauge your worth as a person?" She continued smoothly.

"I- yes," he said picking at his nails as unpleasant memories added to nausea.

"I see." Izuru nodded.  
"Komaeda, I was given the name of your abuser by Hajime, and on my way here I did a background check. Would it surprise you to know that Titus Miller has been arrested on several counts by the American court? His track record contains multiple counts of assault, as well as sexual abuse. He also has three accounts of sexual abuse of a minor under his belt. Tell me, Komaeda-san, were you aware of this?"

This was the best way Izuru had gauged to break through Komaeda's mental walls. Wielding unyielding evidence and using his own logic against him.

"I wasn't, I didn't know that he'd- done that... But I'm sure they too deserved it, although they're probably far from as despicable as me- I didn't know," he said, rambling mostly to himself as he processed this new information. "He never told me."

"Of course he didn't. This information clashes with the narrative he fed you, doesn't it? Komaeda-san, as terrible as Miller tried to make you feel, you haven't committed any such crimes. Your name is barely mentioned in the registry at all. Wouldn't that, objectively speaking, make you a better person than him?" Izuru continued, unyielding. The flickers of doubt in Nagito's demeanor gave her hope that she might be able to break through his delusions.

"I have never committed any crimes but that doesn't make me a good person. Hinata is a good person. You are a good person. Titus is a good person-- I think..." Nagito tried to defend.

"You say that." 

Izuru couldn't understand what made Nagito differentiate between "good" and "bad" people. It was very rare that Izuru didn't understand something. The feeling was as uncomfortable as it was exhilarating, and she wanted more than everything to get some clarity.

"Tell me, Komaeda-san. Could you explain to me why you believe some people to be "good" or "bad"? You say that both me and Hajime are good people, do you trust our judgments to the same degree you would trust Miller's then?"

"I don't know.. Titus was always honest and saw what a despicable person I am and he was honest with his actions. Hinata-kun I believe it's also honest in his actions but he's misguided and I don't know if it's my fault." he opened up, then Titus' voice echoed in his head. 

'You deceitful little slut. You're never honest about what vermin you are, are you? Luring in good, honest men in your lair- you're lucky someone who could see through your little act got to you first. I'll show you just how pests like you should be dealt with.'

Hajime looked like he wanted to interject again, but didn't say anything, for which Izuru was grateful.  
"Komaeda-san, what has Hajime done to make you believe that he is misguided? Is it due to his treating you differently than Miller?"  
She asked calmly, gathering more information which she could hopefully use against Komaeda's logic later on in the discussion.

"He- yes," he confessed, stomach twisting with guilt. He really shouldn't have gone to the café, that way Hajime and his sister wouldn't be involved in this mess with a person as dishonest as himself

"In other words, you do not trust Hajime's judgment about your character," Izuru concluded. 

"Very well."  
She was at a loss, for the first time in a while, on how to proceed.  
"After learning what you did about Titus, you still believe him to be a good person and a reliable source of information, is that correct? And it's due to this belief that you don't believe that you deserve justice or compensation for what has been done to you."

"I don't know.. When it comes to me I guess I still do." Nagito explained, a bit shaken as more of Titus's words spun through his head.

"Even though you're aware that Miller has partaken in despicable actions in the past, targeting both you and innocent people."  
Izuru pressed on, adamant. She hoped Nagito would see the flaws in his logic, and hopefully try to think for himself, though that would most likely take many months of therapy.

Izuru felt a brief moment of nausea at the thought of Hajime anyone near such a despicable person.  
"I don't personally believe that you are deserving-" she began, but this time Hajime cut her off before she could stop him. 

"No, that's bullshit! You didn't deserve anything that wretched bastard put you through, and you saying that just makes me surer that we need to fight this! I mean hell, the few moments I spent near the jerk was absolutely disgusting, Komaeda you can't possibly believe that you deserve someone like that. I'll say it until you believe me!"

Nagito shifted uncomfortably in his wheelchair. Hajime's outburst made him more conscious than ever about how much trouble he was causing, and the guilt weighed heavily on him. 

"Hinata-kun, you don't see it. You want to believe the best about everyone, I know that. It's what makes you such an amazing person but it doesn't change the fact that I'm undeserving-" (Disgusting, awful, lunatic, Titus supplied in his mind.) He choked on his words, staring down at the ground miserably.

"But you're not, Nagito. You're not undeserving. You've been patient, you're strong and you've come out of this alive. Please seek justice for yourself or you'll regret it for the rest of your life. Please believe me when I say I'm not delusional when I say you're a most impressive person, Komaeda."

Nagito kept his eyes down, his shoulders hunching miserably.  
"I know this is difficult," Izuru said gently.  
"But- Hajime is just as good of a person as Miller is, if not better. Won't you try to take his words to heart?"

"I- I'll press charges if you wish to." Nagito finally said after letting their words sit for a while.

Hajime sighed.  
"Look- that's not how this should work, you shouldn't do anything you don't want to. I'm sorry for interrupting. Maybe I should just go, leave you to discuss this. I'm obviously doing more harm than good."  
His tone was dejected, though Izuru didn't quite want him to go. From the way Nagito was still leaning back in his chair, she suspected her brother's presence might play a bigger part in his calm than Hajime realized.

Nagito looked at his hands, remaining silent.

"Hajime. Don't do anything rash." Izuru objected coolly.  
"While it is true that Komaeda-san should make this decision by himself, your counsel is useful." She hoped that would be enough to placate him, turning her attention back to trying to figure Nagito out.

"Komaeda-san, I need you to understand something. No matter what kind of person you are, justice and the law will support the truth. We are able and willing to help you. But ultimately, the final decision is yours. Whatever you do, Hajime and I will both respect it. "

"I'll do it. If he has been found guilty before then he must not be completely innocent." Nagito said solemnly.

"For goodness sake, the man drugged and raped you! The man drugged and raped a person, does that scream good person to you?" Hajime asked loudly in frustration

Nagito flinched at the loud sound. Part of him wanted to agree, to look down in submission and accustom himself to Hajime's way of viewing things, but he hesitated. Speaking with Izuru had, if nothing else, shown him just how much misguided faith Hajime put in him. He was making Hajime feel so upset, and it was all because he couldn't get him to see who he really was. 

"No...Hinata-kun, please. That's wrong." He said, determined. He would make Hajime see, that was the only way to help him.

"Titus may have done horrible stuff, and I do want him to pay for that, but you need to understand that such treatment is what I deserve. He knows it, he told me as much, and I know it too. I know you don't see it, and I'm so sorry for manipulating you into thinking I'm a good person, but I'm not worth feeling sorry for. I'm not worth you feeling upset, so please." He bunched the fabric of his hospital gown in his hands, refusing to lift his gaze.

"Komaeda-" Hajime walked around and crouched down in front of him.

"Listen to me. I really don't care if you're a good person or a bad one. But even if you were a bad person you wouldn't deserve what he did to you." Hajime said, deciding to not push him too far and instead tried to meet his middle ground.

"No matter what your sense of self-worth is, it doesn't change what that monster did. I don't want you to go to court because of me, I want you to do it because it's what's right to do, so that he never has the chance to do it again and get punished for what he's previously done. But if you need another reason than that then please, do it for me. Because I know that if you don't you'll regret it later in life. So let's agree to disagree on our opinions of you because I think you're strong and an inspiration but if you don't agree we'll leave that for a later discussion. "

Nagito's eyes teared. He didn't know what to do, how to respond to such a statement. Hajime wanted him to press charges because it was the right thing to do, and Nagito was starting to think that he might be right. Evidently, Titus had done bad stuff in the past, and the thought of a good person suffering through the same treatment as him made his blood boil and his heart ache. (And, anyway, he couldn't stop imagining Hajime in his position, remembering the uncomfortable look on his face the first time they saw each other.) 

"You...You're right." He said softly, hugging his body with his arms.  
"I don't want him doing this to anyone else. No good person should suffer through that." The words mellowed out into a whisper, and Nagito felt as if a weight had settled on him as he finished speaking. It was done. He knew he would have to meet Titus face to face now, there was no escaping it.

"Imagine Titus getting ahold of a good person and making him feel about himself what you think of yourself," Hajime said, gently laying his hands over Nagito's.

"I am." Nagito spat, suppressing a shudder. "Sorry- Hinata-kun," he amended, pushing aside his memories from the cafe. "You're right, of course. No good person should ever have to go through something like that."

"What about a middle person? Who's neither good or bad?" he wondered.

Nagito shook his head. "That's not how it works, Hinata-kun. Being a good or bad person isn't something you choose, it's something you are. For example, I've always been useless, dependant on others and worth nothing to anyone, that's not something I could have changed. It's just like, no matter how hard he tries, a smaller dog can never become a big dog. It's decided from the moment of birth. So you see, there's no such thing as a middle person, just like there's no such thing a redemption for someone like me."

"Everyone is born dependant on someone." Hajime reminded him. "But let's agree to disagree. We shouldn't have this debate here and now."

Right. They still had Izuru to worry about. Nagito raised his gaze a bit, resting it on the shiny prosecutor's badge on her lapel as he spoke.  
"I...I'd be honored if you'd take my case to court. I know you're probably busy but-"

Izuru gave a faint smile, the most emotion anyone had seen her show all day.  
"There's no need to worry about that. I would have taken the case anyway, as a favor to my brother if nothing else." She leaned forward, studying Nagito's apologetic expression with interest.  
"I want you to know that I'll do my utmost to get you justice, Komaeda-san. Together, we'll get your abuser the penance he deserves. I do want to go over some arbitrary stuff with you, and there are a few papers you need to sign, but that can all wait for after you get discharged. For now, all I can say is don't seek out contact with Miller, and get away from there if he tries to seek you out. Same with any reporters that might bug you if the case goes public. Other than that, I want you to rest and not worry about any of the legal bits, I shall take care of all of that."

"Thank you, Izuru," Hajime said and got up behind Nagito again. "I'll happily let you stay with me if you want to."

"Right." Izuru nodded, turning her gaze onto Nagito who squirmed uncomfortably. She didn't miss that his eyes briefly flickered to Hajime, before giving his response.  
"I...If I'm not too terrible of an inconvenience, I would appreciate it." He offered, feeling drained after his and Hajime's argument. He didn't have the energy to argue against it, even though he felt horrible about encroaching on Hajime's generosity in such a manner.

"I'd appreciate your company. It would be lonely to go back to an empty apartment without you now." he laughed softly. "So don't feel too bad about it, okay?"

Nagito nodded mutedly. "Well, unless either of you has any questions, I should be going. I have a court appointment in..." Izuru glanced at the clock,  
"About an hour. It was a pleasure, Komaeda-san." She bent down, shaking Nagito's hand and giving Hajime a look, the least awkward way she knew to say goodbye.

"Good luck in court, not that you'll need it," Hajime said, adding that last part quietly.

Izuru nodded at him, then left the room without further delay. Nagito slumped in his chair as she exited, feeling the weight of his decision on his shoulders. He knew there was nothing he could do about that but did feel guilty for arguing with Hajime earlier though and that he could hopefully make up.  
"I'm sorry, Hinata-kun. I shouldn't have made you upset, especially not in front of your sister. Please, tell me what I can do to make it up to you."

"There's one thing you could do," Hajime said. "Wanna know what?"

Nagito broke off his staring contest with the floor, forcing himself to make eye contact with Hajime as he nodded in anticipation. "Of course. I'll do anything." He said, breathless with eagerness.

"Get healthy. Don't read into this negatively, but I want you to get healthy soon. It breaks my heart to see you so broken, so please focus on getting better. Of course, I don't mind taking care of you, but I hate seeing you so miserable. You matter to me, okay?" Hajime said softly.

Nagito gave a placating smile, but inside he just felt confused. He didn't know whether Hajime was joking or being serious, was he supposed to agree? Was he supposed to reassure him?  
"I...I'll do my utmost." He settled on eventually. "It's the least I can do, to reward your kindness."

"Thank you Komaeda. You're important to me and so is your health. Thank you for making an effort." he smiled genuinely.

Nagito managed to meet Hajime's smile. He felt like a weight had lifted off his shoulders, letting him breathe for the first time in a while. His body feeling heavy, he leaned back in the wheelchair. "I'll do my best, " he assured Hajime. "And I promise it won't happen again."

"It better not! But just so you know if you're ever hospitalized again I'll be right by your side for as long as you'll allow me." he hummed and got up., "Let's get you back into bed?"

Nagito nodded, allowing Hajime to help him off his wheelchair and onto the hospital bed. His body practically turned limp as he hit the comfortable surface, and he snuggled in comfortably, lying on his side to face Hajime now that he no longer had any machines to worry about.  
"Thank you...Hinata-kun." He mumbled. Did he mean "Thank you for helping me onto the bed," or just, thank you in general? Both Nagito decided. Hajime deserved thanks for both.

"No problem. Thank you for trying so hard." he hummed back. "Do you want to sleep or do you want to listen to the book?" Hajime wondered that uneasy feeling he got from Izuru being there almost as good as gone.

"If you don't mind," Nagito said, lazily gesturing toward Hajime's computer. "Oh and-" He reached out toward the light switch, but found that he couldn't reach it without nearly rolling off the bed. "Hinata-kun, could you possibly dim the lights a bit?"

"Got it," he said and quickly reached over and did as he was told before pulling up the book on the computer again and pressed play. "Should I roll down the curtains too?"

Nagito nodded, letting the melodic sound of the audiobook pull him away from reality until he was dozing, imagining scenes from the book played out in the darkness in front of him as more and more of the background slipped away.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mild trigger-warning for the mention of suicide and past suicidal thoughts in this chapter.   
> If you want to skip it, you should probably skip past Nagito and Hajime's discussion of therapy...
> 
> Other than that, this chapter is (for once) basically pure fluff. We all deserve it after the horrors of chapter 7...
> 
> We hope you enjoy it!

A couple of days passed before Nagito was allowed to eat solids again.  
Though the hospital food wasn't exactly great, he was getting really tired of soup, and thus appreciated it even if he still couldn't eat very well. 

Around this time, Hajime decided to head back home, spend some time with his mother before she left again, and get back to work. Nagito had to admit he was lonely, but Hajime still visited him a lot and brought him books from the library, so he didn't mind terribly. 

Another week passed and Natsuki went home, leaving Hajime alone in his apartment for the first time in a while.  
That's how he came to stand in his kitchen one Saturday noon, elbow deep in mochi dough when his doorbell rang. 

"Wait a minute!" he called from his tiny kitchen and pulled the dough off before going to check who it was, having heeded Izuru's warning about opening to strangers now that he was personally involved with a case like this.  
At the sight of his sister, he unlocked the door and let her in.

"Hello, Hajime." Izuru Kamukura greeted coolly as she pulled off her jacket and hung it by the door. "I'm afraid there are some things we need to discuss regarding the case."

"Alright. I'm in the middle of making mochi so you'll have to put up with that while we talk. I can't really leave it. Slippers are in that box there." Hajime replied, somewhat confusedly, and headed back to flour his hands again and get back to kneading.

"You're...baking?" Izuru asked with confusion. Then it hit her.   
"Yes, you work at a café now, correct?"¨  
She looked around the apartment as Hajime led her into the kitchen, noticing the picture they took during her graduation on the windowsill. Hajime went back to kneading the mochi dough, as Izuru continued.   
"In any case, it seems the prosecutorial office doesn't believe we have enough circumstantial evidence to obtain a search warrant of Komaeda and Miller's apartment yet. This could prove quite problematic, seeing as it is very possible that Miller will, upon being discharged, return there to attempt to cover his tracks."

"What?" Hajime exclaimed, taking out his frustration on the dough. ¨  
At this rate, these were going to be some pretty good sakura mochi  
"How the hell do we not have enough?! The police found him bleeding to death chained to a radiator, and his medical records, they even have the fucker's sperm samples!" 

Izuru grimaced. "I am aware, Hajime. I said the same thing. The thing is, Miller's attorney is arguing that it was consensual and that the police simply interrupted and made both of them panic when they barged in during what would have been a very compromising moment for both of them. According to his version, Komaeda was insisting on the rough treatment, and Miller panicked, thinking that he had hurt his boyfriend and decided to OD rather than live without him." Her words were calm, yet her disgusted tone was unmistakable.'

"They have records of the date rape drug in Komaeda's system! How the hell is that consensual?" he hissed, not aimed at Izuru.

Izuru breathed in deeply. "Circumstantial evidence is not enough to get us a warrant, I'm afraid. Especially since we have no way of confirming that it really was Titus who drugged him. For all the court knows, you might be the culprit." She pulled a hand through her unstyled black mess of a hair. 

Hajime sank to his knees and hit his head against the pantry. "Sometimes I have no faith in our justice system." he sighed, hands still covered in rice flour.  
"So what do I need to do? What do I have to tell them?"

"There is a way to salvage this," Izuru said bluntly. "The first thing you need to do is get up off the floor, Hajime. Didn't law school teach you to not give up until it's over?"   
She moved a bit closer to where Hajime was baking, taking care not to stain her suit or hands with the rice flour that was spread over the surface and floating in the air around the space.

"To put it simply, we need to mount a counterattack. We need Komaeda-san's account of what happened. Miller's defense may seem like they have the upper hand, but the evidence should support our side. If we can create enough doubt, that should be enough to get a warrant and provide a major break in the case."

"Alright. So far I'm on board but do you really need Komaeda's account this early on?" Hajime asked and got up and continued to weakly work the dough.

"I do," Izuru repeated.   
"At this stage, we need reliable and coherent testimony to strengthen the bits of evidence we do have. There can be no way to misinterpret the information, or the case may fall completely out of our hands. We need his account of what happened, before he first met you at the café, but also regarding the events preceding his stay at the hospital."

"He's been stable for about a week, Izuru. You don't think it's a bit too early to do something?"

"Be that as it may, I do not see any other way of getting out of the situation," Izuru explained patiently.   
"This is our chance of getting the upper hand before the judge gets swayed by Miller's story. They're even bringing up the history with his parents, and his mental instability. Miller is doing everything in his power to destroy Komaeda-san's credibility."

"You're a great lawyer, Izuru, but Komaeda is in no way suited to testify right now! He still wakes up in the middle of flashbacks, the slightest little wrong move and he'll panic, he's not fit to testify!" Hajime told her sternly.

"He was able to talk with me just fine when he gave me permission to take his case," Izuru argued, crossing her arms.  
"Hajime, you know as well as I do, the first few days and weeks are the absolutely most crucial when it comes to law. If we don't make a good impression then we'll be in a seriously disadvantageous position later."

"I know but you're the best lawyer in Japan no? I'm sure you'll be able to fix it if he gets just another week to stabilize, "Hajime plead desperately.  
He knew very well that from a practical point of view Izuru was right. Komaeda needed to testify. But he didn't want to be the one who made it all worse.

"That's nonsense," Izuru said sharply. "The reason I am the best lawyer in Japan is that I do what is necessary to win, and I'm not afraid to take risks when necessary. This is what needs to be done, I am certain. In fact, I shouldn't even be discussing it with you beforehand, I should be talking to Komaeda-san. You don't even have a law degree."

Ouch. That one stung.  
"Well, as your advisor in how to interact with humans with being a complete inconsiderate prick I suggest you wait with making him testify. Maybe telling him a week in advance so that he can brace himself for it." Hajime bit back and flipped the dough forcefully.

"That's the difference between us, Hajime," Izuru said calmly, training her red eyes on her brother's aggressive kneading. "You can't let your feelings or personal bias come first in the courtroom. That's why you lost your chance in the first place, right?" 

"Alright then. Let's approach this your way. If you force Komaeda to testify won't you be proving Miller's claims? He's blaming it on his mental instability, right? What would it look like if Komaeda broke down in a panic attack in the middle of testifying?" he asked, face stone cold. This was one of the reasons why he had a hard time standing his sister.

"I won't be forcing him to do anything," Izuru said calmly.¨  
"In any case, he'll be fine as long as you're there, Hajime. You help him keep his calm. And anyway, having him act traumatized while talking about a difficult subject won't make him seem unstable, it'll make him seem sympathetic to the jury. That, if anything, makes his story more believable and makes Miller seem like someone who's belittling the mental scars he left on his partner."

"This is why you'll never get married. You're too cold and calculating," Hajime muttered quietly.   
Oh yes, he went there.   
To his defense, Izuru had pressed the law school dropout button.  
"You're willing to make Komaeda relive a past he'd rather forget, completely unprepared, trigger a panic attack if not worse just to prove a point."

"You have no idea what you're talking about, Hajime," Izuru said sharply. "I may be calculating, but if the alternative is dropping everything I learned at the law school to rush to the defense of some stranger, then maybe that's not such a bad thing. But fine. If I can't get your consent, I'll try pleading with the prosecutorial office some more. Who needs to sleep anyway, maybe I can stop by your café and you can make me coffee while I work on saving your boyfriend." 

"I'm just telling you that if you want him to testify maybe give him a heads up so that he knows what he's up for." he snapped. "Besides he's not my boyfriend."

Izuru crossed her arms. "Well, he certainly seems to think otherwise." She snarled, but caught herself and tried to calm down a bit before continuing.  
"In any case, I'll talk to the office. Maybe we can make do with your testimony alone, assuming you're willing to give it." She offered a compromise, knowing full well she would have to do a lot more digging and convincing to get this to work.

"I'll testify, no doubt about it. And I'll talk to Komaeda when I drop these off." He said, folding to his sister and gestured to the sakura mochi.  
"If he feels up to it please take his testimony too. I just don't want him to have to suffer more than he already has."

"Right. Now if you don't mind, I have a lot more work to do." Izuru said testily. She was glad to at least have reached a compromise, but she still wasn't sure it was going to work and she was annoyed with her brother for acting as he knew more about defending than she does.   
"I have a court appointment for another trial concerning an international double murder soon, so I should be going unless you have more comments concerning how I handle my work?" 

"Nope. I got it all out. Thanks to you the mochi is gonna come out great." he said curtly. "Go do in your homicidal foreigner," he said and flipped out the dough on the table.

Izuru left Hajime in the kitchen, grabbing her coat and taking off her slippers as she exited the apartment without any further comments. She did feel a bit guilty about the conversation for a while, but then she got a call from Saihara-san, the detective in charge of her case, and she stopped worrying about Hajime. Her little brother would be fine, and Izuru had more pressing matters to attend to.

Meanwhile, Hajime took out his frustrations towards the Japanese justice system on the dough before rolling it out and filed his little mochi balls with the red bean paste he'd prepared beforehand. 

\---

That afternoon Hajime knocked on Komaeda's door with a big box of the sweets wrapped in pickled cherry leaves.

Nagito put down the book he'd been reading as he heard the doors open and Hajime enter his room.   
"Hello, Hinata-kun." He greeted amicably, reaching for his bookmark and putting down the closed book on his lap.

"Hello, Komaeda," Hajime said brightly as he stepped inside and came to sit down next to him. "How are you today?"

"Fine, Hinata-kun. I've even eaten this morning." Nagito said, sitting up a bit to greet Hajime properly.  
"I'm afraid I'm not really in a position to fully greet you, but feel free to relax." He joked, smiling mirthfully.

"This is more than enough. The fact that a being as magnificent as you even let me in near proximity of you is a godsent gift." he joked back and sat down by his bed. ¨  
"I brought you a gift today." 

"Oh you didn't need to-" Nagito trailed off at Hajime's displeased facial expression. Instead, he accepted the box, gingerly placing it in his lap. "Thank you, Hinata-kun. What is it?"

"Open and see. I think you'll like it," he said excitedly. He'd packed one of those fancy, two-story lunchboxes with sakura mochi on the first level and kusamochi on the lower. He'd separated the mochi dough before he flavored them so now there were plenty of both for him, Nagito and their neighbors.

Nagito obliged happily, opening the box and smiling as he was met with the pleasant smell of rice dough. "Sakura mochi!" He gasped. "Did you make this yourself, Hinata-kun?"

"Yeah, I promised you I'd make you some, didn't I? There's kusamochi on the next level too but I have plenty more of both at home. It was pretty hard to get hold of all the ingredients for both during this time of the year though." he chuckled.   
"Since you've eaten breakfast today and you've been stuck on gross but healthy hospital food I thought you'd appreciate something for the soul too." he smiled. 

"That's amazing, Hinata-kun. Isn't rice dough terribly difficult to work with?" Nagito marveled, looking down at the cakes in the box with reverence. "They smell delicious! Even better than the ones I had when I was little."

"It's a little tricky but I've got some experience under my belt," he said, puffing up his chest ever so slightly at the praise. "I'm glad you like them, care to taste?"

Nagito complied silently, picking up a ball of dough with his thumb and forefinger, careful not to squeeze it too harshly. Taking his first bite, the sweet flavor was breathtaking, and Nagito licked his lips to get more when he had devoured the rice cake. "It's delicious!" He said reverently. He hadn't tasted something sweet in, he didn't know how long and hadn't realized how much he'd missed it until that point.

"I get a passing grade then? Lucky me." He smiled, heart feeling so full like it was about to burst when he saw Nagito get so happy over the confections. '

"You get more than that." Nagito insisted. "This is quite possibly the best dessert I've ever had. I don't usually care for sweet stuff, but Sakuramochi has always been an exception." He reached for another, then put the box back down in his lap to save some for later.   
"Oh- sorry. Do you want one, Hinata-kun?" He realized as he chewed on his second cake.

"I'd rather take one from the second layer," Hajime said, waiting for Nagito to initiate. "Izuru came over when I was baking:"

"Oh, right. Of course." Nagito lifted the layer of sakura mochi and placed the second layer beside Hajime on the bed.   
"Oh? Did she have any news?"

"Just more stuff that makes you disappointed in the Japanese justice system and Japanese culture in general," Hajime said. "  
Apparently, *He* has been saying that the assault was all kinky shit that you were completely on board with so now they're trying to discredit you. I'm going to testify for you though, and if needed Izuru might want you to testify too, " he sighed.

"But it's completely up to you to decide what you want to do and say. No one can force you to do anything you don't want to. And I'm not going to pressure you to do anything either," Hajime said and took a kusamochi. "I just want you safe and sound, and I'll back up whatever decision you make."

Nagito's breath caught in his throat, and the sweet taste of sakura mochi on his tongue suddenly seemed cloying.   
"I'll do it if it'll help but-" Nagito couldn't suppress a shudder at the idea of being forced to talk about what he'd been through, and to complete strangers no less. The thought made him want to throw up.  
"He's seriously arguing- well, of course, he's saying that. He's just using whatever means necessary to make sure he doesn't get convicted for treating someone like me the way I deserve, of course." Nagito muttered, mostly to himself with a sinking stomach.

"Nagito, that's not true. And you don't have to do anything that you're not comfortable doing." Hajime assured him, hand hovering over Nagito's as he waited for the other's approval. That's one thing he'd learned from the past week. No sudden touching.  
"We've been over this, you don't deserve being terrorized by him. You never did."

Nagito gently grasped Hajime's hand in response. It had become somewhat of a routine between them, Hajime showing that he was open to initiating contact, and Nagito jumping at the chance whenever he did. He'd had plenty of time to mull over the implications of this, but he pretended he didn't whenever Hajime was around anyway.   
"Well, if I'm reading you correctly, the justice system doesn't seem to share your view. They see me for who I really am, and realize that people like me only exist to be of use to good people," he spat, unsure if he was cross with himself, Hajime or the world in general.

"Nope, they're just prude and homophobic and don't know what's a healthy relationship and what's not." Hajime corrected.  
"We sadly have more than enough evidence to convince them otherwise but Izuru wants to back it up with a testimony," he said, running his thumb over Nagito's hand.

Nagito swallowed. "Well. I suppose it was inevitable," he relented, though he was far from happy about the situation. "She wants me to testify then?"

"If you're up for it," Hajime said softly. "You don't have to do anything." he reminded him. "I'm glad I dropped out of law school." he sighed.

"No, I'll do it but-" Nagito sighed.  
"Are you certain you have to testify as well? Getting involved in something like this...it could probably seriously impact your life, Hinata-kun. I don't want you to be miserable on my account."  
"I mean, didn't you give up on studying law in the first place because you didn't want the stress and publicity of it?"

"This cause is worth it though," he assured him. "As long as you get out of this then I'll be okay."

Nagito shook his head in protest. "That's not... You don't know that. You still don't see me for what I really am, and when you realize that your life- that your life was ruined for the sake of someone like me..."   
He trailed off, clutching Hajime's hand and turning his head so Hajime couldn't see his miserable expression.¨  
"I just don't want you to hate me." He whispered, so quiet Hajime might not even have heard it.

"Don't worry about it, my life wasn't very interesting before you showed up," Hajime said softly, lacing their fingers together.

Nagito chuckled darkly.   
"You say that, but look how much I've already ruined for you. I force you to be here every day when by all rights you should be relaxing at home or out with your friends. I've made you a target, and if it weren't for me Titus wouldn't even know your name.   
Did you know he felt threatened by you? Said you'd taken what was his and that you didn't know how to care for other people's pets. And not only that, now I've made you so guilty that you want to put yourself front and center in a terrible story like this, knowing full well that you'll get harassed by media and people afterward. I'm so pathetic, I've ruined so much and you don't even see it!" He cried in frustration, shoulders shaking with tension and anguish.

"Okay, first off all, you're not forcing me to do anything. Let me explain it all from my point of view?" Hajime asked, laying their hands in Nagito's lap as he climbed into Nagito's bed.

Nagito didn't answer but didn't interrupt either. He kept his eyes firmly locked onto some ugly painting hanging by the door, far away from what he knew was one of Hajime's everything-is-okay smiles. He knew he wasn't worth that.

"I dropped out of law school mainly because I couldn't handle the constant deadlines. But after I dropped out and began working at the Café every day looked the same. The most exciting thing to happen was if I managed to get a whole batch of meringues good, or if the supermarkets had a sale.  
Then you showed up, Komaeda, and for the first time I can actually remember what day it is and distinguish the days from each other. And I've always been connected to these things. My sister is a lawyer currently in court for an international double murder. So Komaeda, you saved me too by appearing in my life. I immensely enjoy spending time with you and I just hope you do the same."   
Hajime said, feeling both emboldened and exposed by the candid confession. He breathed in deeply as he finished, cautiously glancing at Nagito to see his reaction.

Nagito's head fell until he was sitting hunched and looking down at his lap. He had the sudden urge to just sink into the mattress and disappear, leave Hajime and his strange, incomprehensible words far behind. 

"You're calling my barging into your workplace and interrupting you, forcing you to ride in an ambulance with me, then after taking advantage of your hospitality getting myself hospitalized again and making you take even more time off, saving you?" Nagito asked incredulously.

"Perhaps a little poorly phrased but yes," he said awkwardly. "I've never really mattered up until then."

Nagito giggled at the absurdity of it all, clutching Hajime's hand as his shoulders trembled with the force of it. "You're...I will never understand you, Hinata-kun."

"It's really not that hard. I'm like an NPC shopkeeper in Skyrim. I don't really do anything or matter until the hero of the story comes in and needs to buy something." Hajime said with a wry smile.  
"Until you came in and needed some potions, that is."

Nagito shook his head vehemently. "That couldn't be farther from the truth. If anyone is the main character in our story, surely it's you Hinata-kun. You're selfless, kind, compassionate and heroic. You have all the makings of a protagonist."

"Let's compromise and say the sidekick." Hajime smiled. "I don't have the tragic backstory of a hero." 

"Sure," Nagito said.   
"You'd be the sidekick who grows to be popular enough to get a spin-off game to yourself." He lifted his head, looking up and meeting Hajime's pleasant smile. He thought maybe he had tears in his eyes, but it was possible his mind was just messing with him.

"Mayhaps." he hummed. "So let's get through this, guilt free, as the heroes of this drama?" he asked and took up his mochi again.

"Sure." Nagito relented, sitting back and slowly, as subtly as possible, rubbed his thumb over their interlocked hands.  
"I think you'd make a really good sidekick, Hinata-kun," he said after a little while. "You're so sympathetic and supportive."

"And you'd make a great protagonist." Hajime hummed, getting this feeling that if they'd been dating he should've kissed him then and there. "So, you don't like sweet things. What do you like then?"

Nagito shrugged. "I like anything that isn't too sweet, usually. I have a particular affinity for salty things though. And I like toast." 

"Toast huh? Well, I think I could be able to bake something for when you get discharged and come home." Hajime said, happy to have diverted the conversation from the dark place it was heading. He didn't know how much more he could handle after the confrontation with Izuru, frankly.

"You really don't have to do that." Nagito protested, even if he knew it was probably futile. "Really, all your bread is delicious. It's probably the best food I've had in...well, at least 10 years."

"Good to know you have low standards." Hajime snickered.  
"I'll make sure not to take you to any high-end restaurants so that you'll get disappointed in my food." 

Nagito felt his cheeks warm a bit and moved his head so that his face was obscured by his mess of hair. Hajime mentioning taking him out to restaurants was doing things to his heart that he really didn't appreciate. The fact that Hajime was still letting his hand be held wasn't exactly helping either.   
"Uh- yeah. I suppose so." He managed a response, hoping Hajime didn't notice anything amiss.

They sat there silently, eating mochi for a while before Hajime spoke up. "Is all of this okay?"

Nagito snapped to attention immediately. "Yes of course, why wouldn't it be?" 

"I dunno, just wanted to check in. What are the doctors saying?" he asked, finishing his confection.

"Oh." Nagito relaxed. Of course, that's what he'd been asking about.  
"Well, I started physiotherapy today, and the doctors think I'll be able to walk in a couple of days. Other than that, not a lot has happened, I'm afraid. They say they're going to assign me a therapist when I get out of here, and while I wouldn't do anything to insinuate I know better than the doctors how to handle their job I sort of...don't really want to. It's fine though, I'm getting better every day, just like you wanted." Nagito said, remembering the promise he'd made to Hajime the week before.

"That's good. Nagito?" he murmured. "Do you think you could try going to therapy? I could even come with if you're worried about it. I promise it's not as bad as the movies make it out to be." 

Nagito shrugged. "I'll do it if you want to, Hinata-kun, don't get me wrong."  
He meant it, but even so, he really didn't want to talk to some stranger about the stuff in his past. Hell, he didn't even want to talk about that with Hajime, the only person in the world Nagito had come to trust aside from his dead parents. 

"Why don't you wanna see a therapist, if I may ask?" He asked, despite not having gotten an okay to ask, and leaned back against the bedframe.

Nagito froze, unsure how to formulate his response. "I...I just don't really want to remember it, I suppose. I know that I'll need to talk about it in front of the judge," he suppressed a shudder, "but I suppose I...Don't really want to do it more than necessary."

"That's understandable." Hajime nodded.   
"I'm not going to make you go but back when I was a bit younger my mom took me to see a therapist. He told me that the more you talk about it, the better you learn to cope with it and the better you get at working through it so that one day you'll be completely free from it. Of course, he wasn't talking about something even remotely similar to what you're going through but I still think you should go at least once, to get a feel of what it might be and if it could help you."  
Hajime told him and looked over to Nagito. 

"I cried my first time there though. And nearly every time after that too but after some sessions, I began feeling better about myself when I left my appointments."  
"Therapy is really nothing like a mental hospital. And mental hospitals aren't like in the movies either. There are no straitjackets, no people in padded cells swinging to and fro, no lobotomy or funky experiments. It's just like any other hospital."

Nagito thought over what Hajime had said. "I suppose...maybe I'll be okay at least giving it a shot." He admitted lamely, fiddling with his hospital gown and swallowed.   
"Hinata-kun, if it's not too forward, can I ask... can I ask why you went to therapy? You don't need to answer if you don't want to, of course, I just-" He shrugged. 

"It was basically just normal teenage angst but amplified," Hajime said.   
"It's nothing to worry about now," he said and patted Nagito's hand. 

"Hmm." Nagito agreed. "Did you like therapy, when you were younger I mean? Was it ever...not something you dreaded?"

"Are you kidding? I was terrified to go. I felt like I wasn't someone deserving of getting help. There were others with much more important problems than my own. Plus all of those movies about haunted mental wards hasn't really helped psychology as a field to trust. I was surprised to see how many more like me there were. Many more "normal" people, and some sessions if I didn't want to talk about it my doctor didn't keep pressing for anything."  
Hajime reminisced. "But I was terrified to go. I went with my mom for the first few sessions and I definitely cried before, during and after. But it helped. A lot." 

Nagito nodded. "I...see. I think I understand how you felt. Why should someone waste their time and money helping someone like you when there are people with real problems out in the world, right?" 

He laughed darkly.   
"Honestly, I don't know what to do. The doctors seem to think it'll help, but all I can imagine is having to tell some stranger about all these things, and I can't help feeling like somehow that will make it more real." He shrugged miserably, shifting in bed so that he could pull his knees up to his chest, the way he usually did when trying to calm down.  
"Sorry, that probably doesn't make a whole lot of sense." He laughed again, miserable and self-deprecating.

"No, I get it, I think. It's just like the first time you have to say that you want to die out loud. I had no problems thinking it, doing plans, moving on with the plans but then I had to say it out loud to a doctor and my parents and suddenly it became all too real."   
Hajime said, thoughts growing dark at the memory but he quickly caught himself.  
"I needed to do that though. Admitting it out loud was the first step for me towards healing." 

Hearing Hajime admit he had been suicidal was definitely jarring, but Nagito quickly realized it made a lot of sense. Hajime had known exactly how to get him out of a panic attack and even admitted to having them himself. He'd been incredibly patient with Nagito, even when his pathetic self only created more trouble.   
"I...yeah. I suppose it is." Nagito said eventually, after a beat of silence. 

"Well, in any case, it's irrational. It shouldn't bother me the way it does." He said it irritatedly, cursing himself for not having a stronger resolve and the doctors for making him bring up this in the first place.

"It's okay though. It's just human. You can talk to anyone and suggest they see a therapist and they'll be hesitant." Hajime said and sat upright, still not letting go of his hand. 

"I suppose so," Nagito said dryly.   
"Hinata-kun, could we please talk about something else now?" He really didn't want to dig deeper into the hole that was his mental state right then. The only thing he was more loathe than talking to a therapist about his past had to be talking to Hajime about it. Nagito already knew that he was causing Hajime more suffering and misery than someone as pathetic as he had any right to.

"Of course." He said with an understanding smile. "What was your favorite subject in school growing up?"

Nagito had to stop and think about that.  
"I...Enjoyed Japanese, I think. I liked to read, and in the first grades, we were usually allowed to color in pictures if we were done ahead of the class. I remember enjoying that a lot."   
Nagito smiled wistfully, easily allowing himself to be distracted from the heavy material of the previous discussion.   
"What was yours?"

"I didn't really have a favorite subject. But I think social studies was the one I was the best at," he said. "What about your favorite animal?"

That one was easier.   
"Dogs," Nagito answered immediately.  
"I used to have one, back when I lived with my parents. I loved her very much, though she died in an accident when I was 7. Still, I have to say dogs are my favorite animal because of that."

"What breed was she?" Hajime wondered. Dogs are a good subject to talk about, not much harm could spur from that, right?

"She was an Alaskan malamute," Nagito recalled fondly.   
"I got to name her, so I named her Hope, don't ask me why. I was only four years old at the time. She- well, she didn't get to live for more than three years, but she was about my only friend growing up." 

"They're the huge fluffy ones, right?" Hajime asked excitedly. "I'm jealous."

Nagito nodded. "Yeah, she was. Though she barely grew out of her puppy fur. By the time I was five she was as tall as me, which concerned my parents a bit, but I knew my friend would never do anything to hurt me."   
He let his head fall back against the pillows beside Hajime, looking up at the roof with a wistful smile.

"Maybe after you're a bit better and we've put all of this behind us you could get a dog again?" Hajime suggested.

"You'd really... Want to do something like that?" Nagito asked in disbelief, imagining what it might be like.   
Having a nice, quiet life with a dog far away from Titus and courtrooms and all the horrors of life. He liked the thought a lot, and a sated smile replaced the surprised frown on his face.  
"Even if it is with me?"

"Especially if it's with you," Hajime said. "What breed do you want then?"

Nagito thought the question over. "Well, I'd suppose a dog that's well fitted for beginners would be best, something akin to a golden retriever or a Shetland sheepdog if we still want one that's "huge and fluffy" As you put it."   
The thought of something as nice and domestic as owning a dog together with Hajime was doing wonders for Nagito's heart, which was beating in overtime. Nagito could only thank god he wasn't hooked to a heart monitor anymore.

"Would we still be living in the apartment or would we move?" Hajime wondered idly and decided to join Nagito in his fantasy.

Nagito flushed. "I don't think it matters. I'd be happy living out on the streets again if it meant living together with you." 

He promptly realized how that sounded, and panicked. Surely, Hajime would hate him for saying something so forward and blatant. Besides, and more importantly, Nagito had already taken so much from Hajime's life. What right did he have to even imagine taking more?

"Oh I didn't mean anything, it's just... You're the first person who've been kind to me. Living with you has been the best days of my life." Nagito fucking Komaeda. Royally fucking everything on by continuing to come on too strong. Nagito burrowed his head into his fluffy pillow, wanting to disappear from the embarrassment and the world in general

"Likewise. But I think I might prefer living comfortably in an apartment or a house with you and a dog rather than in the streets with you and a dog." Hajime chuckled whole-heartedly, reaching for the bento box that Nagito had jolted and put it back together before depositing it on the bedside table.

"Hmm... Then that's what we'll do." Nagito commented from his pillow.  
He realized a bit belatedly that Hajime had just told him that living with him had been the best days of his life too, and now he didn't ever want to leave the comfort of this pillow. He was so damn screwed, it wasn't even funny.

"I guess I'll be looking for other options than just working at the Café. Maybe we could go full domestic and run a bakery and live on top of it." he hummed. "With a little garden in the back."  
"Or we could go even more traditional and run a hot spring." he chuckled.

"That sounds amazing." Nagito agreed.  
"I've always wondered what it's like to live in a small house with people you care about." He decided to come out from his pillow a bit, lying on his side and gazing up at Hajime who was half sitting beside him.

"But I think we should aim more towards baking. I'm not really that talented at cooking. Do you cook well?" he hummed.

Nagito shrugged. "I'm decent, and I know a lot of cheap recipes. I wouldn't say I'm particularly talented though." 

"We'll learn together and move together towards our hot-spring oriented dreams." Hajime chuckled softly.

Nagito couldn't help joining in the laughter. "Why the sudden desire to own a hot-spring anyway?" 

"Domesticity, why else?" he snorted. "Tell me Komaeda, what's more, domestic than owning a hot spring?"

Nagito's chest fluttered. Damn it all. "Hmm. Nothing comes to mind." He admitted, pretending to think it over. "Alright, you've convinced me."

"So where do you cast your vote? Bakery, Onsen or something else?" Hajime asked and looked over to Nagito.

"It doesn't matter to me," Nagito said truthfully.  
"I'd be honored to live wherever you chose, and I'd work really hard to earn your kindness. I'm honestly grateful enough that you'd even indulge such a fantasy, even with someone like me."

"What? You have to choose too. If we don't compromise we won't both be happy." Hajime pointed out.  
"I don't want you to change to suit my life, I want it to be our life, adapted for the both of us."

"But I told you, Hinata-kun. If I was living with y- someone as good and amazing as you, then I would be happy even if we ended up living on the streets. It'd only make me happier to know that you've chosen something that'll make you happy too." Nagito argued, catching himself before he could come on too strong again. He didn't want to do anything to ruin this nice moment.

"If you say so." he hummed, deciding to leave it at that. If it ever happened or would happen later, when Nagito had gotten at least a little more self-worth from therapy.

They lay together in comfortable silence for a while. Nagito initially worried that he'd said something wrong, but looking over at Hajime he realized the other at least didn't look upset or worried. It wasn't particularly unusual for Hajime to spend his afternoons at the hospital, relaxing and talking about whatever with Nagito, and it was something both of them enjoyed. "So- ah, what else do you want for the future?" Nagito asked after a while.

"I really don't know. We'll see what it has in store for us," he said, turning to his side. "What do you think will happen?"

Nagito leaned back as he thought the question over.   
"I suppose I'd like a quiet life. Just, doing day-to-day stuff, you know?" He smiled at the thought.   
"Though, with my luck, I'll probably end up in a horrific accident, or left to bleed out by some delinquent in an abandoned building somewhere." He laughed dryly. 

"Let's do our best to prevent that then. I'll wrap you up in bubble wrap every time you leave the house." Hajime joked.

Nagito shuddered. "Please don't. That would be awfully stuffy, not to mention I wouldn't be able to move at all."

"True. We'll have to come up with some other protective countermeasure. And suggestions?" Hajime wondered

Nagito laughed, a bit more serious than he'd like. They were still joking around, after all.   
"I'm afraid there's nothing you can do, Hinata-kun. I gave up trying to change fate long ago. Seems God, or whoever is up there, just has it out for me for some reason."   
At this point, Nagito realized that he'd brought down the mood, and hastily apologized with an,  
"Oh, sorry. I went a bit dark there. It really doesn't bother me, so just forget I said anything."

"It's fine, Komaeda," Hajime assured him and laid his head on his shoulder. 

"Hmm, okay," Nagito said, daring to lean his head on top of Hajime's, cheek pressing against his spiky brown hair.   
"You shouldn't be this close to me, Hinata-kun. What if God starts hating you too?" he mused happily, relishing in the comforting feeling of a clear head and Hajime pressed against his side like a heater.

"If he's gonna hate me for loving my neighbor as he tells us to then he's not my God," Hajime said confidently.

Nagito flushed. "Since when are we neighbors?" he muttered, resisting the urge to burrow his head in his pillow again.  
He placated himself by remembering that Hajime couldn't see his face anyhow, and he wasn't about to move and jolt him when he seemed so comfortable. Nagito would act as his pillow for as long as Hajime wanted.

"Since you slept on a futon next to me," he said and patted his arm softly.

"I suppose that's fair." Nagito relented, moving his arm ever so slightly to give Hajime better access and hoping managed some subtlety at least because he didn't want to come off clingy or annoying.

"I feel like you want me to do something. Tell me?" Hajime hummed, too tired and relaxed to analyze properly and guess.

Nagito turned crimson in an instant, his heart jumping in his chest as he cursed his stupid, needy body for ruining everything. "No- um, n-nothing. I'm fine," he managed to stutter with a wavering voice.

"It's good that you're okay but it's okay to ask things of me, I promise I won't take offense. The worst I can do is say no, right?" he said and searched for eye contact.

"Uh- right. Yeah." Nagito agreed, nodding cautiously.  
"It was nothing I just- uh, kind of..." He broke off, torn between wanting to explain himself and changing the subject.   
"I kind of, uh, I really likeitwhenyoutouchme." 

He looked down at Hajime's chest halfway pressed against his own, waiting for the moment when Hajime recoiled in disgust or pushed him away while laughing at him. 

"Oh?" it was just that? A warm smile son spread across his lips.  
"I'm glad. I like it too. I was worried it'd hurt or you'd be uncomfortable." he said, eyes softening.  
"Want a hug?" he offered and opened his arms.

Nagito raised his head in confusion. Somehow- Hajime had done neither of those things. He'd moved away, sure but he hadn't sounded upset, disgusted or gleeful. Instead, Hajime sounded pleased, almost happy. When Nagito looked up, he saw the other sitting opposite him, offering a hug, and his heart practically melted right there. 

"Y-yeah." He managed, practically squeaking the word, and slowly, carefully, moved close enough to press his head into Hajime's shoulder.

Hajime gently wrapped Komaeda in his arms, letting the other nuzzle into the nape of his neck as he stroked his back with feather light touches, unsure of where the bruises were littered.  
"I was worried I'd made you uncomfortable. Can you promise to tell me if you ever are?

Nagito couldn't do anything but nod mutedly, overwhelmed by the sensation of Hajime's arms around him. He drunk in the warmth and comfort of the gentle touching, almost feeling dizzy with it all.  
Soft, warm touching like Nagito had never known before, he couldn't even remember when he'd recieved his last hug.   
How old had he been when Titus stopped care about placating him with cuddling? At the moment, Nagito didn't even care.   
His eyes were tearing, though if it was from happiness or the sudden resurfacing of the sad memory, he didn't know. 

"You okay?" Hajime asked carefully as he fell a wet spot growing on his shoulder, hands taking a break from running his back.

Nagito nodded vigorously, attempting to clear his throat. "I'm fine." He assured, then elaborating when Hajime didn't seem convinced.  
"It's strange- I'm not sad. Possibly, I'm the happiest I've ever been and yet-" He blinked, feeling more tears run down his cheeks. "-I don't know why I'm crying."

"Relief? Crying is a response to stress and crying is stress relief," he said, quoting his old headshrink.   
"So it's completely okay to cry. Happy tears too." Hajime assured him and resumed petting him.

"Yeah. Maybe that's it." Nagito mumbled, moving yet a bit closer to Hajime and relaxing when his calming petting started up again. "I'm sorry, I've probably ruined your shirt," He said, sniveling. He made no move to break the hug though, merely pressing his wet cheeks closer into the white fabric.

"It's okay. It was going in the wash today anyway," he said quietly and bent his head down to carefully nuzzle into Nagito's neck as well. "Don't worry about it."

"Mmm," Nagito mumbled.  
"I'll make it up to you. I'll do your laundry whenever you want- or anything else you want me to. I promise." He hesitantly brought one hand up to ruffle Hajime's hair, waiting a few seconds to make sure it was okay before softly running his fingers through it a second time.

"I told you, I don't mind," he said with a small little laugh.   
"That feels nice. I'm not gonna do that to you though. Your head is still bandaged up. I wanna braid your hair someday." Hajime said, shivers running up his spine as Nagito played with his hair.

"You can," Nagito said eagerly. "You can do whatever you want with it." With me, he wanted to add but stopped himself. /Don't fuck this up like you do everything else/ he told himself.

"I definitely will. But not now. First, you have to heal up." he said and pulled away from the hug to stroke his cheek.   
"Heal up and get all healthy and not on the verge of death. Then I'll braid your hair," he said before letting him back into the hug.

Nagito smiled. "Yeah. Yeah I'll- I will-" He felt more tears prick his eyes and blinked until they ran down his cheek.  
"You know... I can't remember the last time someone touched me like this. It's...a thousand times better than I expected. Now I don't know how I ever survived," he mused, words muffled against Hajime's shoulder.

"Well, I'm always available for a hug. Just ask." Hajime said, answering what he thought he heard. Lucky him it turned out to be correct

"You're amazing, Hinata-kun," Nagito mumbled, without further elaborating. He might have continued the sentence, but a sob threatened to quench and words he meant to utter, as he tightened his one-armed grip around Hajime's back. 

"Thank you. Thankyouthankyouthankyou." He mumbled drunkenly, almost frantically as he lost himself in the warmth, comfort, and softness.

"Mm." He said, giving a tiny nod as he let Komaeda hug it out, not letting go of him either.

Eventually, the crying and talking left Nagito dazed and exhausted and he managed to fall asleep in Hajime's arms.  
When he woke up, he would curse himself for acting like a child and just falling asleep without reason or warning, but just then he was so comfortable and happy he felt like he could fly.

Oddly enough, his dreams started out strange, but not unpleasant.   
The darkest place his mind wandered too was his parent's funeral, but not even that was more somber than sad.  
When he woke up, he was so warm and comfortable he didn't even react, merely snuggling further into the warmth that he belatedly realized came from Hajime. A jolt of panic went through him before he remembered what had happened before he fell asleep.   
Nagito really didn't feel like moving after that, so he gently rubbed the hand that was splayed into Hajime's hair, and shut his eyes again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Go do in your homicidal foreigner." Is quite possibly the most glorious one-liner ever written.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Late Merry Christmas and happy holidays to everyone guys! We had intended for this chapter to be earlier, but it turned out that neither of us authors were actually home for Christmas, so it ended up being a bit late... At least it's a long chapter though! Hopefully, that makes up for it!
> 
> Also, there's Soudam in this! If you've read our previous fic, In which Hinata Hajime isn't a complete idiot..., you know we both love Sonsoudam but because of reasons (writing a 3way relationship when you're two authors is pretty taxing) we, unfortunately, had to drop Sonia...  
> She's a side character tho, so she's not completely gone!

Hajime found it much easier to drag himself to work now that he had someone waiting for him after he was done but it was still quite was to get up at 4 am since he usually ended up going to bed much later than usual.   
But he honestly didn't mind; it was worth it. 

He had yet to tell his friends about everything though. It just hadn't come up and it was exhausting to explain everything. Besides, he trusted Souda had explained the situation with Nagito fairly well, considering the fact that he'd been the one to call the police and had been with Hajime up until when he joined Nagito in the ambulance.

Nagito, on his part, found Hajime's visits the best parts of his day. While he no longer feared hospitals the way he used to, largely due to Hajime's influence as well, he still wasn't completely able to shake the notion that someone might take him away when Hajime wasn't there, so he relished every afternoon where he could finally relax and be with someone he trusted.  
Other than that he felt that he was faring pretty well, baring flashbacks and an ever-impending sense of boredom. That too was largely dissipated whenever Hajime visited though, which Nagito was immensely grateful for. 

A few days after their conversation about the future, Hajime had the morning off and came in at 7 am instead of 4. There, he was met by the smell of freshly baked bread, Chiaki and Souda. ¨

"Good morning." He yawned happily.

"Good morning, Hinata." Chiaki greeted, brushing off her dusted apron. Souda, who was refilling the coffee machine, gave an appreciative whoop. "Hajime! How're you doing?"

"Pretty well if I may say so myself." he hummed. You tended to be walking on clouds once you got yourself a new love interest, even though you were just friends.

"That's the spirit!" Souda nodded. "Nanami over here has been complaining non-stop the whole morning."

Nanami glared at him over her gaming console, which she had somehow procured from somewhere. "They released a new DLC for Breath of the Wild last night." She pouted, yawning. "I had to finish it! I couldn't very well leave a new dungeon unexplored!"

"And mean old Hinata forces you to get up at 4 am." Hajime sighed amusedly.  
"Anyway, how's your coffee shop romance coming along, Souda? Any new incidents with the hot-animal-guy I should know about?"  
The first time the Hajime-named "Hot-animal-guy" had entered the café was about two months ago when Souda had been manning the counter. It had been a slow morning, until a guy who looked like he'd stepped straight off the stage at an indie-rock-concert, eyeliner and all, had stepped into the cafe. He was cute so of course, Souda and Hajime gossiped about him while Souda brewed coffee, and as Souda went to deliver said coffee he'd been met by the shock of his life.   
The guy was carrying hamsters. Like- at least three. They were hanging off this huge scarf he had wound around his neck, (Which in of itself was strange since it was June) and the man didn't even bat an eye as Souda made a startled comment.   
It...had been a frequently recounted event for them, especially since the guy kept coming back every Saturday.   
Eventually, Souda had arranged to take all of the Saturday-morning shifts and Hajime reckoned it was only a matter of time until he got a wedding invitation. 

Souda flipped him off. "Don't call it that," he muttered, but relented at Hajime's raising his eyebrows.   
"Dude came in today with a Snake curled around his neck. A fucking Snake! And when I commented he just looked me in the eyes and said something about "demonic creatures being far too powerful to bother hurting a measly human. What the actual hell is wrong with him?" Souda cried in exasperation.  
He didn't mention the warm tingle that had run through his body as the man leaned over the counter, stupid big serpent and all, and fixed him with his dark eyes. Really, he was being ridiculous. He didn't even know the guy's real name, seeing as all he'd ever been asked to be signed on his cups was "Supreme Overlord of Ice".

"I wonder what you call the wife of the Supreme Overlord of ice. The Supreme Lady of Ice? Nanami, what do you think?" Hajime asked as he hung off his jacket and put on his apron and cap.

Nanami answered without missing a beat. "Supreme damsel in distress," and Souda blushed.   
"Dammit Hajime- will you lay off me? Just because you're not having any luck with the guys-" He shut the lid to the coffee machine, lifting the bag of coffee beans back onto the shelf from where he'd taken it.

"In comparison to some I'd say I'm pretty lucky with my choice of partner," he said, not sure himself if he was referring to Nagito as his partner or being single as preferable to Nagito's previous relationship if you could even call it that.

"Ship," Chiaki smirked, pocketing her DS and beginning to wipe down the front counter. 

"Speaking of-" Souda interjected. ¨"How is Komaeda doin? We've barely heard anything from you since the... Uh. You know."

"He's doing much better than before. He can finally eat solid food again and his head should be okay in a week or so. He might even get discharged!" Hajime said brightly, avoiding talking about Komaeda's mental health out of respect for the other.

"That's good to hear," Chiaki said, at the same time as Souda gave an audible sigh of relief.  
"Man, I didn't really see a whole lot that night but man-" He winced. "That shit looked really bad. I'm glad he's recovered a bit."

"Yeah. He's started physiotherapy too and he's almost walking too." Hajime told them proudly.

"Sweet!" Souda chimed brightly.  
"Will he keep living with you, after he's discharged?" Chiaki wondered.

"Yeah, we're planning on it at least. His money is still frozen and he can't exactly move into the apartment." Hajime shrugged.  
"Besides it was nice having him as a roommate. We get along surprisingly well."

"I could see that." Souda agreed. "You've always been kinda nurturing. I could see how he'd appreciate that."   
Chiaki nodded in agreement. "Will we get the chance to meet him before he moves in with you?" She asked teasingly. "Your friends' opinions are important, you know."

"We're- it's not like that," Hajime argued. "But I'll call him later and ask if you can come by today?" he offered at Chiaki's blank stare.

Chiaki's eyes lit up. "Really? Hey- if we're going to be cooped up in a hospital the entire time, that'll be pretty boring right? Can I bring some games?"

Souda shot Hajime a meaningful look. "If you say no to her now, the universe is gonna hate you, you know."

Chiaki was too absorbed in choosing what games would be best to hear him, practically bouncing up and down in excitement.

"It's a rhetorical question. No matter what I answer she'll bring games anyway. Just make sure the games don't involve any triggering topics, please Nanami?" Hajime pled as he went and opened up the store for service.

Chiaki gave him a blank who-do-you-think-I-am stare and went back to her thoughts. Meanwhile, Souda, who was on coffee duty that day, took his place in front of the counter and waited for whenever the customers would start pouring in.  
"Well, in any case, it'll be good to see him again," he said thoughtfully. "I have to confess, I've been sorta worried, you know?

"Sorry I haven't kept you as updated as you'd've liked." Hajime apologized and took his place behind the counter and helped the first customer.

"Nah, don't worry about it. You've been busy." Souda shrugged, heading off to brew a vanilla latte for their customer.  
A steady flow of people trickled in after that, as usual in the mornings, and the three had their hands full and postponed any further discussion to during or after the lunch break when the customers usually lessened a bit.

\---

The day went by pretty smoothly and by lunch Hajime was in a great mood.  
"Do you want to close the café for lunch and go eat elsewhere?"

The general consensus was "Yes" with Souda flashing affirmative thumbs up and Chiaki nodding enthusiastically.  
"You have a place in mind, Soul bro?" Souda asked, hanging his apron on the wall with the others.

"No not really, just felt like changing it up a little." he shrugged and closed up front.

"Then... How about that sushi place just down the street? It opened pretty recently, and I've heard the food is supposed to be good." Chiaki suggested, throwing her wet rag in the sink after finishing cleaning the tables.

"I could go for sushi. Is it cheap?" Hajime wondered, taking off his uniform as well and locked the cash register.

"I think it's supposed to be. The person I talked to seemed happy with the pricing anyway." Chiaki said, pulling up her phone to check the prices.

"Well then, that's decided! Lead the way, Nanami!" Souda said, joining the group once he was finished as well.

\---

The three had a nice outing and a fairly reasonable priced sushi and were now headed back down the street towards the café when Souda suddenly stopped and changed the subject from which season was the best one,  
(Summer, Hajime argued, Chiaki just shook her head at that and stood by fall.)

"Hey Hajime, wouldn't it be nice if we introduced an aquarium in the café? We could place it and build a small kid's corner:" He suggested, having caught sight of a familiar figure putting out signs outside a pet store a few shops down, across the road. 

"Oh yes! We could feed them, just like you do in Kingdom Hearts, and they might give us stat bonuses!" Chiaki said happily, causing both guys to shake their heads.

"That's...not really how reality works, Chiaki." Hajime admonished. "Although-" He'd caught sight of the same thing as Souda, and realized pretty easily why Souda had suggested they look for an aquarium. "I think it's a nice idea. Why don't we head in and see what they have?"

"Yeah, it'd give the place some more color too," Souda said, quickly scanning for cars before bounding over the street like an excited puppy.

Hajime and Chiaki were close behind, as soon the trio pushed open the glass doors to "Tanaka Pet shop and adoption center."   
Hajime looked around at the shelves with everything from collars, different types of animal food and cages for all manner of animals. Chiaki kept herself close to him as well, as she didn't really like bigger animals. 

"Let's see. , unfortunately, He commented, turning around only to then realize that he'd lost Souda somewhere. "Souda must have run off to talk to his boyfriend then." He muttered, before returning his attention to the fish food and aquariums.

The two browsed for a while before they had to head back and Hajime allowed Souda to stay and "collect more information" on keeping fish for a little while longer with a wink and so the other two headed back to the café to finish their workday. 

It wasn't until two of the customers left that Gundham paid either of them any mind. He was busy feeding his Dark Devas, who had been resting in his scarf as he put up signs for their new brands of food and produce. When he entered the shop again, he was met with the sight of someone he recognized- the pink haired barista from HOPE's Coffee. 

The other seemed lost in thought, and Gundham quickly looked around but realized that the Angel was nowhere to be seen, and neither was the Demon. He cursed whatever cosmic powers had put him- Gundham Tanaka, the Supreme Overlord of Ice, in such a position. Gundham hated consorting with mortals of any kind, even if they were good-looking, happy baristas who looked absolutely adorable when they scolded him for bringing pets into their coffee shop. Ahem.

"Can I help you?" He asked curtly, hoping to get the encounter over with as fast as possible.

"Hm?" Souda quickly snapped out of thought. "Yeah, we were thinking of installing an aquarium in the café and I was wondering a little about what we should put in and what fish and how to care for them." he rambled, heart stupidly beating at 180 bpm for no specific reason at all.

Gundham squinted at him. "Hm? Is that so? Very well." He stalked past the mortal, coming to a stop by the shelf for aquariums. "How large do you wish the astral field in which you might hold the beasts to be?" he asked, turning expectantly toward the mortal.

"Maybe like this deep and this wide?" Souda said, taking a wild guess as he showed 30x120 cm with his hands. Beasts. Yeah right. They're colorful little-finned things. 

Gundham considered for a few moments, before reaching to grab a medium sized aquarium. As he leaned forward to get a grip on the box, however, San-D took the opportunity to jump out of the confines of Gundham's scarf and scutter down onto the floor. 

"Supernova Silver Fox San-D! Cease this tactless insolence and return to your Lord at once!" He bellowed, balancing the aquarium while yelling at his Deva. 

Why the hell did Souda like this strange man again?  
"Shouldn't we chase after him?" Souda asked confused and stressed as the hamster sprinted away as fast as it's tiny little legs could run

Gundham shook his head. "The beast will no doubt return to me shortly. My Four Dark Devas are ferocious demons who have taken up guise as sweet, harmless animals. Do not let them fool you, mortal. They are capable of taking down all manner of threats in this section of the galaxy, without as much as batting an eye.  
" As to emphasize his point, San-D scuttled beneath a shelf for pet food and disappeared from sight. "More importantly-" Gundham said, hoisting the aquarium up with one arm. "Is this astral field sufficiently sized?"

"I'd say so, but we need to get an okay from our boss first so maybe hold it for us?" Souda suggested with a shrug.  
"If we get an okay what do we need to do for the fish to prepare?"

Gundham nodded and put the aquarium back. "You're going to need an essence purifier, to keep the environment clean of any devilish influences that might harm them. That would not end well for either you or your compatriots, I'm afraid and while I- The Supreme Overlord of Ice am capable of fending off the most ferocious of beasts- I may not always be there to save you."   
As he spoke, he gestured to a set of water pumps and filters that hung by the aquarium, pointing the mortal toward the appropriate size. 

"You'll also need to regularly feed your demonic companions, lest they grow restless and take their hatred out on you. What kind of nutrients they desire varies from beast to beast, so it's best to choose after you've selected your familiars."

"Okay, I think I understood the most important bits and snippet of that. I'm sure we'll be able to take good care of them. Which fish do you recommend?" Souda asked, taking a while to process and translate what Gundham had said.

"Very well. Please follow me." Gundham said, leading the mortal further into the store where they kept the fish. "These particular familiars are docile enough that even an unknowledgeable mortal such as yourself could form a Bond with them," Gundham said, pointing toward a section which housed smaller fish for beginners.

Souda looked over to where he was pointing.  
Damn. Should he take that as an insult? No thanks, he shuddered but headed towards the aquariums.  
"So tell me about the fish?"

"The familiars-" Gundham corrected, "These ones are very easy to take care of. You merely need to change the filter once a week and feed them daily-" 

He noticed that the mortal had stepped closer to one of the tanks housing tetras, and was practically pressing his nose to the glass in his excitement. How amusingly adorable.  
Gundham made a quick decision that he might come to regret later, reaching past the mortal and getting the can of fish food for the tetras.  
"Would... Would you wish to feed them? It has gone nearly one earth-day since they last received nutrition, so they would appreciate it." He held the can with two fingers, placing it in the mortal's hand while making sure none of their skin touched

What a dick. A nice one though. Apparently, he himself was into dicks in more ways than one. Maybe the Supreme Overlord of ice was a germophobe? No, then he wouldn't be working with animals.  
"I'd love to!" He smiled brightly and happily took the can.

Gundham supervised as the mortal clumsily spread food throughout the aquarium. "Take care not to pour too much, lest your carelessness will hurt the very fiends you strive to aid," he cautioned, motioning to Souda to stop pouring after a few seconds.

Souda quickly stopped, a trick of his trade if you will, and crouched down as he watched the tetras feed.  
"Their colors are so bright!"

Gundham chuckled. "They are indeed. This particular type of familiar goes by the title "Neon tetras." Did they catch your fancy, Human? "

"Yeah, but they're so small. Maybe we should get small fish though so the aquarium seems bigger? "Souda asked, wondering how to reduce animal cruelty to the fish.

Gundham smirked. "A fine sentiment indeed. I can sense that your aura will be compatible with your familiars already. It is as you say, the size astral sphere that you have chosen is most compatible with smaller beasts." 

"What about those with the really fancy tails?" he asked, pointing to the guppies

Gundham looked over. "Ah- that particular hellspawn is known as the Guppy. Also a familiar that is easily bonded to. Though you must be warned, it is a very territorial beast. This makes it apt as a tamed familiar, but you shouldn't put it in an astral plane with other familiars. "

"It's gorgeous, especially the tail." Souda marveled. "Even if we get a no for an aquarium in the café I'll get one at home," Souda said convinced.

Gundham found himself smiling as Souda moved around the tank to get to see different angles of the fish. "Indeed it is," he agreed. "They're originally from China, where they make the rice fields their preferred territory."

Gundham chuckled. "Rice plants are quite laboursome to keep, mortal. They also grow to quite the height, which might cause some trouble in your Haven of Hope."

"Huh. Well, I guess you've got a point." Souda admitted, scratching the back of his neck a bit self consciously. "Whaddaya usually put in aquariums then, as far as plants go?"

"Well, for your beasts to feel at their prime one should strive to recreate their natural worldly habitat. The optimal would be to recreate their astral habitat but as I doubt this realm would be able to handle something so other-dimensional. So I'd say for these magnificent tail-beasts I'd recomment Heranther, Egeria Densa, and rice paddy plants."  
Gundham said, pointing out the different plants in some of the "empty aquariums where they grew the water plants.

"Their... Astral habitat. Riiight." Souda said, studying the plants inside the aquarium. "Basically you mean, choose plants that they'd run into naturally, in the real world. Right?"

"These beasts are incapable of running?" Gundam mumbled into his scarf as he put down the aquarium he'd been carrying.

"Ach. It's a figure of speech, ya know?" Souda said hurriedly, his cheeks reddening. The guy had a point, his wording had really been poor.  
"I just meant stuff that they'd normally live around. Like, plants and stuff from China."

"Rice, you mean? Yes." Gundham nodded. "We do carry a selection of aquatic plants if you'd like to see more. I'll send a raven for the green-thumbed one if that is the case. She is the one in charge of such things."

"Who?" Souda asked, looking around. He didn't see anyone in the vicinity, save for more fish and what looked like lizards further down the Isle. "Send a what now?"

Gundham after that literally whistled a raven to his arm, fishing up a tiny scrap of meat and then he fed it, scratching the bird behind its name, earning a pleased screech from the bird as he murmured the instructions and sent the bird off.

Souda stared in awestruck confusion. "Dude... What the fuck. That's an Actual raven. You just summoned an actual raven. I thought that was just weird-talk for send a message or something. What-"

"While I'm understanding of a mortal as you would be in awe of witnessing such a marvelous beast acting so tame, I'm surprised that you thought it was weird. After all, he has taken a form possible which mere mortals should be able to comprehend." Gundham said, hiding behind his scarf as he read the sharp-toothed one as weirded out by the bird.

"Yeah, but dude- wasn't there an easier way you could have messaged this person? Don't you have a cell phone??" Souda asked in exasperation, looking with surprise at where the bird had disappeared out of sight.

"Seriously, I was trying to be polite, but you gotta explain this man. What is up with all this satanic-demonic-overlord schtick? Do you do it to impress the ladies or?"

"Fool. I have to need for courting puny humans. Especially not when I have so many familiars and symbiotic relationships with the wild beasts!" Gundham boomed. "I have no use for a relationship with a mere mortal who would disintegrate with my very touch." he scoffed.

"Right..." Souda said, nodding along. "Then why? If it's not the whole impressing thing, then why do you do this? What's the point, like."

"What? As if a mere mortal like you would be able to comprehend such things! The Supreme Overlord of ice will have none of these accusations. Look around yourself, the green-thumbed one will soon come to your assistance." he said, turning to leave and wait for San D to return to his rightful place in the Angel's scarf

Souda paled.   
It seemed like he had offended the guy, and he turned to apologize but he couldn't see him anywhere. Dammit. Souda knew he could be insensitive and speak before he thought things through, and it seemed like he'd really screwed himself this time.  
He cursed himself. He'd been kind of enjoying the conversation too, especially when they'd fed the fish. He hadn't even gotten the guy's name either.  
Shrugging to himself, he no longer felt like looking at aquarium plants. He just wanted to forget this ever happened.   
He ended up leaving the store, sending a quick mental apology to that one employee who was probably bothered by the tame raven and disturbed in their work. He really couldn't muster up the interest to care about the plants anymore though so he figured there wasn't a lot he could do about it.

\----

On the other hand, the day passed rather smoothly for our other protagonists, the three being able to close the café in time and locked up the store and headed to the hospital. Hajime was let in without as much as the bat of an eye and went ahead while the other two had to sign in.  
So alone knocked on Nagito's door before peeping in. "Hello~ How are you?"

Nagito had been listening to his audio-book version of Ready Player One and dozing, but sat up straight and lunged to shut off the computer at the sound of Hajime's voice.'

I'm doing well, Hinata-kun. I managed to walk without crutches today, though only a couple of meters." Nagito announced, feeling glad he'd made progress on Hajime's request.

"Really? I'm so proud of you!" he smiled fondly as his heart swelled and he quickly walked over to Komaeda's side.   
"May I hug you?"

"Of course," Nagito said easily, moving so that he was facing the side of the bed and allowing Hajime better access to hugging him.  
"Oh- How are you yourself, Hinata-kun?" He asked, as Hajime sat on the side of the bed and wrapped him in a warm, comforting embrace.

"I'm good. Even better now that you're by my side," he said, glad to be hugging Nagito because he would never be able to say it to his face. It'd be way too cheesy and embarrassing.

Nagito gave a small chuckle. "You seem happier today, Hinata-kun. I'm glad." He hesitantly wrapped his arms around Hajime in return, pushing them closer to each other and enjoying the warmth, comfort, and tingle that Hajime's touch gave him.

"Well, I've been waiting for this all day." he hummed, stroking his back.  
"My coworkers are going to be here any minute." he hummed, not making an attempt to let go.

Nagito froze. "Oh- is that so. Um- Souda-san, and Nanami-san, right? If you don't mind me asking, what are they doing here?" 

"They wanted to come to check in on you and see how you were doing. They won't have to stay for long. You'll be completely in charge of this meeting. And if you don't want to ask them to leave, just squeeze my hand twice and I'll do it for you." Hajime assured him. 

He'd been going over this meeting all afternoon, making small plans around every outcome that could happen. At least those he could think of.  
"They're nice people. Souda wad the one who alerted me and the police. And Nanami is bringing you a couple of games."

Oh.  
"No-no it's fine. Your friends must have missed you since you've spent so much of your free time here. It's not very fair of me." Nagito said, surprising himself with how easily he smiled.   
"I must thank Souda-san as well. He...If he hadn't called then, well." He trailed off, not wanting to upset either himself or Hajime by continuing the sentence.

"Yeah." Hajime pulled from the hug but remained by his side with his hand on Nagito's.  
"So you walked today? Did it go well?"

Nagito nodded. "My physiotherapist told me I would be able to walk within the week." He relayed, looking down at his legs with contempt. "Hopefully, by then, I won't be as much trouble for you and the doctors." 

"That's great! Please don't push yourself too hard though. I wouldn't want you to get hurt again." he hummed and braided their fingers together.

"Yeah. Of course. I'll do my best to get better." Nagito said with determination, eyes darting down to their joint hands with fondness. Titus never ever held his hand, and Nagito had found out that he really enjoyed it when Hajime did. 

"Thank you." he hummed, petting his hand with his thumb, their affectionate moment quickly interrupted by a knock on the door.

Nagito jolted a bit, his grip on Hajime's hand tightening. He looked to the other for reassurance, and got a smile in return.  
"Uh- the door is open." He said, hating the way his throat seized up at the thought of seeing other people. These were Hajime's friends, he reminded himself. They were good people.

"It's- if you push the handle a bit forward, it opens easier. The lock is a bit broken."   
He didn't want Hajime to get up and open the door, so he hoped his friends would get in on their own.

Souda was the first to peek in, giving the two a friendly smile.  
"Hello. We bring games and vending machine refreshments." he chirped, Nanami following him in with a My Neighbor Totoro bag full of games, and a big, white, fluffy dog trailing behind her.

Nagito shifted, forcibly relaxing his grip on Hajime's hand in case the other wanted to pull away, but Hajime did nothing to pull away from their intertwined hands. "Uh- hello again, Souda-san and Nanami-san. Thank you very much." He said stiffly, cringing at the awkward way his voice rose in pitch from nervousness.

"Hello, Komaeda-kun," Chiaki greeted sweetly. "Meet Amaterasu, my dog."

"How are you? Last time we saw you things were less than ideal." Souda asked as Chiaki bent down to unleash Amaterasu and give her a pat on the head. 

Hajime shifted his grip on Nagito's hand, slowly petting his in an attempt to calm the other's nerves if only a little bit.

"Ah I'm...I'm better," Nagito said uncomfortably.   
"I hear it's thanks to you, Souda-san. I want to- uh," He gripped Hajime's hand a bit tighter, forcing himself to meet Souda's eyes and forget the circumstances when he'd last heard his voice.   
"I suppose, I owe my life to you. I'd like you to know that I am very grateful." 

"You're welcome, I'm glad you made it. I'm glad Hajime met you too." Souda grinned. "May we sit? We never know when this one's gonna fall asleep." He said and pointed to Nanami.

"O-of course," Nagito said. "Feel free to- um, relax."   
His eyes flicked down to Amaterasu on the floor, and his nervosity lessened somewhat. "Hello, Amaterasu," he mumbled, smiling shyly.

Chiaki took his words to heart, immediately plopping down on the tail end of the bed and yawning.  
"She says hello. This bed is comfy." She noted, bouncing a bit on the mattress.   
"Does it act as your spawn-point when you sleep in it?"

Souda just shot her a confused glance and waited for an explanation, disappointed when he got none.

"I brought stuff," Chiaki said, gesturing to the bag on the floor. "There are games- both analog and digital, whichever you prefer. I even threw in some TCG's, if that's the kind of thing you're into."  
Nagito looked over his shoulder at the bag. "Oh thank you. You really didn't need to do that."

"She would've done it anyway. She's always on a quest to find someone to match her gaming skill." Hajime assured him as Souda took a seat in a chair.

Nagito smiled softly as Chiaki started to rattle off the list of games she'd brought, and leaned in a bit closer to Hajime.   
"I'm afraid I won't be what you're looking for either, Nanami-san. I barely recognized any of those titles, let alone know how to play. If I win any games, it'll be pure luck."

"That would be an interesting game though," Souda said. "If definitely watch it."

Nagito laughed nervously. "I'll probably get beaten instantly by all of you if you were to play against me."  
Play video games? Nagito could barely remember having a GameGirl when he was younger, but he hadn't really played a lot. He was afraid he might make a bad impression on Hajime's friends by being so bad, and he definitely didn't want that.

"Well, winning or losing doesn't really matter, as long as you have fun. That's the good thing about video games." Hajime said brightly, earning a withering look from Chiaki, who did not agree.

"Ya wanna tone down the shounen-protagonist sunshine a bit before ya blind us?" Souda teased, and Nagito smiled amusedly. It seemed like he wasn't the only one who could see Hajime in that role, though Souda seemed a bit less serious.

"Oh screw off Kazuichi. With how depressing your relationship with your boyfriend is you need some Shonen smile protagonist sunshine." Hajime shot back without missing a beat.

"For the last god-damn time. I don't even know the guy's name!" Kazuichi argued.  
He still felt embarrassed and guilty as hell about how hard he'd fucked up earlier that day. Despite telling himself that it didn't matter what some random stranger thought of him, he still wished he'd left the enigmatic stranger on better terms.  
"Sides, he probably won't come back." He muttered, so quietly it was barely audible.

"Oh no, I'm sorry.." Hajime quickly apologized. "I didn't know what happened. I'm sure there'll come some other dark and mysterious stranger though," he said in an attempt to comfort.

"You could always go see him yourself." Chiaki pointed out reaching back to scratch her dog's head.

Souda shrugged. "Whatever. We're not here to talk about that though, are we? So Nanami, how about you let Ammy get some rest and show us some of your gaming prowess?" 

The others noticed the less than subtle change in conversation, and Amaterasu slumped dejectedly as Chiaki stopped petting her in favor of dumping her games on Nagito's bed.

Hajime glanced over to Nagito to see how the other was faring, giving his hand a small squeeze to get his attention.

Nagito turned to look at him, letting his free hand, which had previously been playing with his hospital gown, fall onto his lap.  
"Hinata-kun?" He said questioning.

"How are you holding up?" he asked quietly, Souda and Nanami politely ignoring the two's conversation

"I'm... Alright. Just a little overwhelmed, I suppose." Nagito confessed. "I'm scared of doing something wrong."  
The words came out in a whisper, only audible to Hajime who Nagito was leaning against.

"You shouldn't worry about that. They're very tolerant people." Hajime murmured. Maybe not Souda though, but he was empathic.  
"You'll be fine. Tell me if it's too much though." Hajime said and took Nagito's hand in both of his own.

"Alright." Nagito relented mutedly, wanting to lean more against Hajime but... For obvious reasons deciding against it.  
"So, I see you brought a regular deck of cards," Souda commented. "Let's start out simple- shall we? You guys wanna play Go Fish?"

\--- 

The four of them played Go fish together for a little while before Hajime began yawning and he and Souda left Nagito together with Chiaki to go take a bit of fresh air and then they'd buy some coffee from the vending machine- hot chocolate for Nagito as he was currently put off caffeine. 

The coffee in hospitals was crazy overpriced. Souda realized this and promptly cursed the café because come on. His day had been bad enough already. Playing cards had been fun and helped him get his mind off his self-hatred for a while, but it seemed like the world was just out to get him that day. Anyway. Overpriced coffee was a better outlet for anger than his own character, and better for his mental health too. Never mind the worried/confused looks Hajime was giving him.

"Dude, it's like, 100 yen more," Hajime said, unsure whether to laugh or be concerned for his friend's adamant rage against the coffee prices. "If it's that important we could even go across the street to the McDonald's and buy better coffee for another price."

"Maybe we should," Souda grumbled. He caught himself though, realizing he was acting petulant and ridiculous. His shoulders slumped a bit, and great. Now he felt bad for being a dick to Hajime too!  
"Never mind. Let's just get it here. Carrying all those cups will be a hassle out on the street."

"We'd probably get one of those cup holders to carry. Besides I wouldn't mind stretching my legs a little bit and getting some fresh air." Hajime said. "And then you could tell me what's the actual reason you're this frustrated."

"Who says I'm not simply upset at this clear sell-out?" Souda argued, cursing Hajime and his anime-protagonist-sunshine-bullshit ability to see right through him. He didn't feel like sharing his obvious short-comings though, so he just shut up and hastened his pace toward the main exit.

"Because you've been like this since you came back from the pet store. So tell the couple's councilor Hajime Hinata what's wrong?" He panted, following after him. He was not a fast runner. Especially not while talking.

Souda stopped himself. "Well- because I'm a complete fuckup. There. Could you leave it now, please?" He said, stepping out onto the pavement. He sent the shining sun a glare because how dare it shine so innocently when Souda was upset, dammit.

"Well, after that, no. Come on Souda, just tell me what happened. Maybe I can help!" he exclaimed as he chased after him.

"See, this is why I didn't want to tell you, Hajime," Souda said, irritatedly. "Why can't you just leave me to regret my fucking mistakes by myself. Do you have to act like everyone's problems are your business?"   
He hated himself the moment the words left his mouth because he knew that Hajime was only trying to help, but the anger in his body was too raw, and he couldn't bring himself to apologize for it.

Ouch. That hurt.  
"Because when you're mad and you go about it on your own you end up making the place a living hell for the rest of us so just work through whatever is bothering you right now so you don't make more mistakes and end up being mean like you just did." Hajime bit back.

Hajime was right, and Souda was well aware. He hated the hurt look in his friend's eyes, almost as much as he hated himself for creating this situation in the first place. He wanted to apologize, but he ended up just covering his eyes with one hand and shaking his head.   
"Sorry man." He muttered. "I shouldn't have taken my irritation at myself out at you." He hoped that would be enough to make Hajime leave him alone.

"I'll forgive you if you actually tell me why you snapped at me like that," he said, walking ahead towards the McDonalds.

Souda wanted to sink down into the asphalted ground and hide from Hajime's accusatory tone and hurt demeanor. Instead, he hurried after his friend, gathering his wits as best he could.

"Fine. It's really not a big deal. I talked a bit with the guy from the pet-shop, and I was stupid. I insulted him without even thinking about what I was saying, made him upset and I dunno. I guess I enjoyed his company, and I didn't mean to hurt his feelings. I feel bad about it." He said hurriedly, stomach sinking with every word.

"Well, you didn't mean it so I'm sure if you just apologize and explain you'll be back to being happily married in no time." Hajime said. "Besides if he didn't listen to you he's not someone you should have in your life anyway."

Souda groaned. "Yeah sure- if I knew the guy's name. Idiot only identified himself as "Overlord of Ice" when I asked him back at the café, and I didn't get his name at the store either." 

"Then go to the store tomorrow and ask to talk to him?" Hajime suggested as they crossed the road.

Souda shrugged. "I don't know man, what if he doesn't want to talk to me? I mean, he stormed off pretty aggressively today. I wouldn't exactly blame him. Maybe it's just for the best that I drop the issue."

"It's honestly up to you, but I think you should at least apologize." Hajime shrugged.

Souda glared at the Mc Donalds sign they were walking toward. "I hear ya, man. I just don't want to make things worse- you know? Though I suppose I'll have to go back there eventually if we're going to get that aquarium."   
They reached the restaurant and got in line to order their drinks. Souda cringed at the warm air from the restaurant, but at least the coffee was cheap.

"Rip off the band-aid and do it tomorrow. I'll hound the owner for permission tonight." Hajime said as they crossed the road back to the hospital.

Souda nodded. "I suppose you're right. Well- it's better than doing nothing I suppose, so long as I don't screw this up as well." They reached the front of the line, and Hajime rattled off their list of orders. After waiting by the side for a while, they got their drinks and left the restaurant, scalding hot cups in hand.

"Well, if you do we'll just send the "I messed up with my boyfriend"-patrol with video games and Mc Donald's 100-yen coffee." Hajime chuckled. 

"We're not even dating," Souda said, but he felt a bit better nonetheless. Chipping back was more of a habit at this point. "Besides, shouldn't you be focusing on your own boyfriend? Think he managed with Chiaki and Ammy?"

"Well, we're not officially dating either, but I trust Chiaki, and Komaeda grew up with dogs so I'm sure they're okay." He said.

"True enough." Souda shrugged. "Is...We're not making him uncomfortable, are we? I mean, more than normal for meeting people, I suppose. I guess I should be asking him, in truth, but man you know how it is."

"He's a bit overwhelmed but I think he's okay, as long as we keep calm. It's like exposure therapy?" He second-guessed. "I don't know, I'm not a licensed therapist but I think it's doing him good, a little bit at least."

"Well, you are the designated anime-protagonist-sunshine-whateverthefuck Chiaki usually says, so I guess I'll have to trust you," Souda said with a laugh. 

\---

Back in the hospital room while Hajime and Souda were getting coffee, Nagito was feeling a bit more comfortable about the situation as a whole, though he had been a bit intimidated of Chiaki's intensity over a simple card game. She had moved so that she was lying at the foot of his bed, petting her white dog, which he'd learned was named Amaterasu (He assumed after the goddess of the sun, though why someone would name a white fluffy dog after the holy deity was beyond him,). 

Well. Since the guys had left, there had been a sort of hanging awkward air in the room. Maybe that was just the conversation starter Nagito needed.   
"I- uh, your dog is very cute. Can I ask how you named him?"

"Ah, that's because the main character from one Okami is called Ammy," Chiaki explained with glittering eyes as if she'd been waiting for this question.  
"The MC is a huge white wolf."

"Oh- I see," Nagito said, completely lost. "What breed is she?" He leaned forward, observing the fluffy creature as she revealed in the attention of Chiaki's hand. 

"She's a white shepherd. She's a service dog so when she's wearing her vest you should just ignore her but now she's not so you're free to pet her if you want. "Is it okay if she gets up in the bed?" Chiaki asked.

"It should be fine," Nagito said, carefully hiding his excitement. "I'd...Like to pet her, if that's alright." He confessed as Chiaki guided Amaterasu up onto the bed. Nagito carefully reached down, touching her soft fur with a smile.  
"I haven't pet a dog in many years. I'd mostly forgotten how nice it was." He mused, daring to move a bit closer.

"She's a little attention lover." Chiaki smiled as Ammy rolled over to her back and stretched out a paw against Nagito's chest, giving him a little pleased grunt.

Nagito chuckled, taking Ammy's offered paw and alternating between waving it in the air and petting her stomach. "She's very cute." He said to nothing in particular, as Ammy mewled in contentment.

"She's a very patient girl." Nanami hummed and reached over to scratch Ammy's belly too. "Do you like dogs?" 

"I...suppose I do, yeah," Nagito said uncertainly. He didn't feel like bringing up Hope again, not when the atmosphere was so nice.  
"My parents used to have a dog, so I basically grew up with them." He settled on, hoping Chiaki wouldn't press him for more information.

"Do you think you'll get a dog again?" Chiaki wondered, running her fingers through Ammy's fingers. 

Nagito shrugged. "I haven't considered it. I'd probably need to think about some other stuff- like a job and a place to live first. I can't keep taking advantage of Hinata-kun's kindness forever, you know."   
He chuckled as Ammy buffed his arm with her nose, moving his attention to the area around her ears instead.

"I don't think Hinata would mind having you around. He's been much happier when he's had you to keep him company." Chiaki told him and began braiding Ammy's fur.

Nagito's chest felt warm and fluttery at that. "I-is that so?" He said in surprise, scratching Ammy behind the ears as he talked. Remarkably, he felt much more comfortable talking to Chiaki now. The same kind of soft air enveloped her and Ammy as it did Hajime, he'd come to realize.   
"I'm glad you think so, though I'm certain I have little to do with it."

"They might not be correlated but I like to think they are. You're a good influence." Chiaki hummed. "He's happy by your side so I just hope you'll let him." 

"I doubt it." Nagito laughed, feeling his cheeks burn with embarrassment. "Though- I really don't understand what you mean. If anything, I'm the one who should be begging for the right to stay with someone like Hinata-kun." 

"It's a decision you two have to come to on your own, but I think you both would do each other well." Nanami hummed, playing with her dog's feet. 

Nagito smiled. It was certainly a nice thought, though he was aware that Hajime would inevitably tire of him at some point. He wondered whether that would lead to Hajime getting irritated at him numerous shortcomings like Titus, or deciding that Nagito no longer had a place in his world and leaving him behind.   
He didn't want to think about it, so he didn't.  
Instead, he kept petting Ammy.   
"Whatever conclusion Hajime comes to." He said with finality, hoping Chiaki would drop the matter.

"Mm. That sounds like a plan. I need to trim Ammy's claws soon." She said and kept playing with the dog's paws.

They sat there quietly for a while, pampering Ammy with affection before Nanami spoke up again. "So, Komaeda-san, is your hair dyed?" 

Nagito looked up. "Oh- I'm afraid not, though I see why you're wondering. It's actually the result of a disease I had when I was 16. The treatment made my hair go white, though that's the only permanent effect it had on me- thankfully." 

"I see. It looks cool like you're the main character in an anime." Chiaki said fascinated. 

Nagito pulled on a strand of his unkempt, frazzled white locks. "I can't say I agree with you, but I'm glad you think so." He said, jerking his head to get it out of his face.   
"It used to be brown, and pretty healthy. But, I shouldn't be complaining. Not when there are a myriad of more pressing character flaws of mine." He laughed, petting Ammy's head contently. 

"Maybe it'll grow out later? Plus there are some pretty cool hair products that could help if you want to go back to that hair color." Nanami suggested.   
'"I know this girl why dyes he hair a lot, maybe she could help. But I think your hair is cool. It reminds me a bit of Ammy's fur in color. And If you used red contacts you could cosplay a snake deity."

"I'm hesitant to do anything else with it, considering its fragility," Nagito said, displeased.  
"And no- it'll probably never grow out brown again. It's alright though. Like I said, being handsome is my least problem right now." He couldn't help feeling a bit better being compared to Ammy's fur though, and he moved to stroke her back. "Now here's someone who is rocking white fur." He murmured, watching her pant with joy.

"Heh, yeah. But it's a bother when it's raining. She gets dirty very easily and this girl is not fond of baths." She laughed softly. 

Nagito smiled at that. "Of course not," he murmured to the dog, falling into a comfortable silence as he kept running his hands through her soft fur. 

Chiaki let Nagito cuddle with Ammy before she pulled out her phone and began playing candy crush, like the serious gamer she was.

This was about the time when Hajime and Souda reentered the room, carrying a tray with several paper cups balanced on top.

"Knock knock, it's your coffee delivery." Hajime cooed softly as they stepped inside, Nagito having gotten the hot chocolate with a little extra pay, and the other two sat down in the chairs.   
"Sorry Ammy, this is not for you." Hajime apologized as he got an intrigued look from the dog.

Nagito accepted his chocolate with a "Thank you, Hinata-kun," setting it down on his bedside table to let it cool off before going back to petting Amaterasu. 

"Hey Hinata..:" Chiaki greeted, barely raising her head from its comfortable position on the bed. She looked apprehensively at the offered cup as if weighing the pros of being sleepy against the cons. Finally, she sat up, taking a cup and swatting Ammy when she tried to buff her in the face. 

"So, how's it going here, did you fall in love with Ammy yet?" Hajime asked as he handed Souda his coffee.

Nagito smiled in response. "She's very soft and nice." He said in affirmation, scratching Ammy behind the ears and chuckling as her bushy tail hit him in the chest.

"She's almost as much of a cuddle bug as you are." Hajime hummed affectionately, quietly for Nagito's ears only. "I love it though, so don't you dare feel guilty about it." 

Nagito flushed red, hiding his face behind Ammy's fur with a huff. Hajime- even though only mentioned in passion- liked, no loved something about him. Nagito felt like his heart might burst from embarrassment and joy at any minute. 

"What did you say to him?" Souda asked, impressed by how quickly Hajime managed to make the other flush. "You two really look like a couple." 

Chiaki sent him a warning look, but it was too late. The words washed over Nagito like a cold shower, bringing old memories and new, confusing feelings with them. It added weight to his budding...whatever was going on with Hajime, that Nagito didn't like. He didn't want to think about Titus when he was around Hajime- and yet, if they really looked like a couple then that was inevitable, right?

Did Hajime consider him in that way? Up until that point it hadn't even been in the question, but now Nagito was confronted with the notion of whether he liked it or not. 

What would Nagito do if Hajime, somehow, liked him back?

"Souda- we're not a couple," Hajime said, careful in what he was saying. Souda had thrown them into a minefield and the slightest wrong move could blow everything up. 

"No, I know, you two just look very cute together. I'm not saying you're a couple, but you would be cute as one- I'll shut up," he said as he caught Nanami's glare.

Nagito didn't know what to do. It was clear that Hajime had picked up on at least some of his reaction, or maybe he was simply that repulsed by the notion. The thought didn't sting as much as Nagito expected it would. 

He distracted himself by rubbing Ammy's belly, trying to get his emotions back in order. He didn't want to think about Titus, didn't even want to imagine a relationship like theirs with Hajime, but Nagito's brain wasn't about to listen.  
The thoughts scared him but were also strangely soothing in a way. As awful as Hajime insisted Titus had been, his treatment was much less confusing than Hajime's.  
Nagito was completely repulsed by the small part of him that wanted Hajime to be as straightforward.

"Maybe it's time to go?" Hajime looked up at Nagito for any indicators. "We should probably talk this through." He admitted, mostly to himself.

Chiaki nodded, getting off the bed and throwing her empty cup in the trash. "You'll have to give Ammy back now," she chided, patting her side until the dog left Nagito's arms and joined her. "Come on Souda, we need to talk to the boss about that aquarium anyhow." She pointed out, waiting for him to get the idea.

Souda for once actually understood the situation and got up. "It was nice meeting you again Komaeda-san. I'm glad you're feeling better and I'm sorry, for what it's worth," he said shamefully before the two left.

The pair left the hospital, Chiaki with requests for more games and promises to bring Amaterasu along next time too, and Souda behind her, decidedly quieter.

"Komaeda, what's going on right now?" Hajime asked, wanting to understand this from his point of view.

Nagito didn't look up from his position curled into the mattress until he heard the door click shut behind them. In response to Hajime's question, he shrugged.   
"It's nothing. My mind is just- it's not listening to me." He said shakily, hugging his chest.

"May I sit in your bed?" Hajime asked and put aside his coffee.

"Of course," Nagito said immediately. His mind immediately asked him whether this was a normal friends thing. Did they look like a couple now too? He didn't know what to answer it.

"What's going through your mind right now? If you can't tell what's true and what's not then maybe you can tell me and I'll tell you what I think?" He suggested as he sat in the edge of the bed.

"It's really nothing but me being stupid. I know you'd never ever treat me like that."  
Nagito realized as he'd said the words that he was unsure if he meant "like they were a couple" or "like Titus used to." Oh well. Both were true, he supposed.

"Like Titus? I pray to God, Allah or whomever that I never ever become like him. But if you mean something else it depends on what you want me to do." Hajime said understanding.   
"But I can promise you that I'll never ever lay a harming hand on you."

Nagito laughed tiredly. "Of course not. I wouldn't want you troubling yourself on my account either. Let's just forget about it." He yet again wished he could curl up and sink into the mattress, escaping this strange situation and his own intrusive thoughts.

"Hey, Komaeda, I don't think that's a good idea. We should at least try to talk about it a little. How do you feel about the idea of dating someone?" he asked, wanting to clear up how much of a trigger this was.

Nagito shuddered. "I...I don't know. I can't imagine it with just anyone, but then again it shouldn't be up to me in the first place. If any good person finds enough hope and compassion to ask someone like me out, then who am I to refuse, right?" He pulled his knees up to his chest on the bed, ignoring the uncomfortable prickling in his legs.

"No, you have every right to refuse. You don't owe anyone anything. You got that?" Hajime scolded him.

"If someone does or says something you're uncomfortable with you to have every right in the world to tell them. No matter if it's a horrible person like North Koreas dictator or a good person the mother Theresa. You have every right in the world to your feelings."

Nagito whimpered. This was all too strange for him, especially since Hajime's tone was so insistent but kind. Compassion shone through his every word, and right then Nagito hated it.

He wanted it to stop.

He wanted Hajime to stop pretending, and just treat him like he should be treated.

"That's not true, Hinata-kun. Even insinuating something like it- I- I think you're cruel for trying to give me false hope." He spat, unsure what he was even doing. What was he looking to gain by making Hajime hate him? He'd just end up lonelier than ever, hating himself even more than he did already.

"What I'm saying is the truth though," Hajime said confidently, forcing himself not to get hurt by Nagito's brash tone.  
"You're allowed to say no without any consequences."

Nagito groaned into the mattress but decided not to push further. He didn't know what was wrong with him, and he really didn't want to do anything to push Hajime away.   
Too late for that, you pathetic, rude, awful piece of trash, his mind supplied helpfully.  
"Well, it's not like it matters. Who'd ask someone like me out, anyway? I'm barely even good enough for people like Titus."   
This- Nagito could handle. Insults were easy to brave, even when they had to come from himself.

"I doubt that. Komaeda, I'm 100% certain that there are people who would leap at the chance to date you. From what I've seen you're a very sweet guy, you just have some understandable issues." he said.   
"May I have a hug? Remember, you're allowed to say no. I won't be hurt if you do."

Nagito wasn't sure he could ever say no to contact with Hajime, even being as confused as he was. He nodded in affirmation, uncurling slightly from his position.   
"I don't believe you." He said simply, figuring that Hajime's words warranted an answer as well. "I'm not sweet- not even close. I'm a dependant, useless, boring person."   
The barrage of insults soothed him a bit, and he unfurled his body completely, making himself lie pliant for Hajime to hug him.¨

"There's absolutely nothing wrong with being dependent on someone. If anything it's a sign of trust. Everyone is dependent on someone." Hajime argued, not making a single move to hug him.   
"If you want a hug you're going to have to initiate it," Hajime said stubbornly. "I refuse to force myself on you."

Nagito wanted to curl up and cry of frustration. Part of him wanted to stay on the bed forever, ignoring Hajime until he decided to either give up or got angry. But, as much as that part screamed at him, the part that was terrified of Hajime leaving was screaming louder. That part of him wanted to be reassured by Hajime's grip around his upper body, and possibly even get to stroke Hajime's hair like the day before.

"You wouldn't be." He said quietly, bracing himself on the bed and pushing himself up in a sitting position. "Nothing you did would ever be forced on me."

"I need your explicit consent, okay? I want to make sure you're completely okay with me doing something, whether it's getting closer, or hugging or anything," he said, opening his arms. "If you want a hug then you may have one."

Nagito did his best to act on instinct, tuning out the incessant buzz of his thoughts. Instinct led him to shuffle forward until he was close enough that he could basically throw himself onto Hajime. He ended up with his head against Hajime's chest, body half leaning against his legs, and had to blink away threatening tears.  
"I'm sorry- I worried you over something so stupid. I want a hug." He cried, hiding his red face in Hajime's chest.

"Hey, no, you don't have to apologize, okay? You didn't do anything wrong," he said with a tiny smile as he stroked his back.  
"You're not useless, you're not boring and you matter, especially to me, okay Komaeda? Besides, even if you were useless what would that matter? Your value as a person doesn't come from how useful you are. Besides, you're not a tool, are you? You're a living, breathing person. "

Nagito cried harder at that, frustrated, sad and moved all at once. His emotions were in such disarray, he didn't even know where to begin unfurling them. "M... Hinata-kun thinks I matter." He managed to sob brokenly, equally as happy as scared and sad at this revelation.

"Why- why does everything have to be so difficult? Why can't you just treat me like you're supposed to? What am I- what am I supposed to do Hinata-kun?"

"I don't know. I wish I knew so that I could help you out with this. But I don't know. So I'll just keep telling you what I am convinced is the truth and I'll keep treating you like you deserve to be treated. With respect and affection and understanding and compassion, just like every other human." he said, hugging Nagito tightly, wishing so hard that everything could be solved with the snap of his fingers.

"I'm confused. I'm so... So confused Hinata-kun." Nagito said truthfully against Hajime's chest. The white fabric of his shirt muffled his voice, and Nagito realized belatedly that he must be ruining it with his tears.

At this point, his mind was muddled by tears, and Nagito was hardly thinking straight. So when he blurted, "Did we really...look like a... A... Couple?" His mind didn't even recognize the strangeness and didn't even try to stop him from asking.

Hajime thought about it for a while. "To some people, we might," he said, after reaching the conclusion that they most likely looked like a couple.  
"Does that bother you?"

"I don't mind," he replied warmly. "Sometimes you won't be able to stop thinking about unpleasant things, so tell me and maybe I can try to distract you, at least for a little while," he said in a voice as soothing as he could muster as he slowly stroked his back.

Nagito shrugged. "I was just being stupid and delusional- again." He said dejectedly.  
"I just- when Souda-san said that I couldn't help but imagine- well, him. Or rather- you acting like him. I'm sorry. It confused me." He wanted to hide, knew Hajime would be hurt and disappointed and didn't want to stay and make that worse. If only his legs worked, he could run away.

"C'mere." Hajime hummed and hoisted Nagito up into a proper hug so he wouldn't hurt his back.  
"I won't take offense, but I want you to know that you two were not a couple. He was not your boyfriend. He was your tormentor and that was a relationship." Hajime told him.   
"Titus- was not your boyfriend. He was your captor, attempted murderer and rapist." Hajime almost spat, just the thought of what Titus had done to Komaeda making his blood boil.

"But... He was, though?" Nagito said mutedly. "N-not- that someone like me could ever speak about what it takes to have a relationship, but Titus sometimes referred to me as his boyfriend, so wouldn't that mean I was?"

"Nope. Did he love and respect you and treat you kindly and did he put your needs before his own?" Hajime asked.

"W-well no, but someone must be truly selfless and altruistic to grant someone like me such affection. I don't blame him for growing sick of me. Honestly, I'm grateful he didn't throw me out with the trash like I deserve," Nagito said bitterly.

"No, not really. It just takes a decent human being. You didn't deserve any of what he did to you. That was not loving Nagito. He used you." Hajime told him and he'd tell him as many times as he'd need to

Nagito laughed dryly. "Then I suppose I'll never be loved."  
His grip around Hajime's waist suddenly seemed like far too much effort, so he let his arms droop onto the mattress. His entire body felt heavy, probably from all the emotional duress. And also crying. Definitely the crying.

"Yes you will Komaeda, you will be loved," Hajime promised. "And if you can't find someone you love too I'll be there for you." He said, letting the other collapse on him. "You will be loved."

Nagito buried his face in the crook of Hajime's neck. "You're too optimistic, Hinata-kun. If you're not careful, you might give me false hope, you know?"

"It's not false, Komaeda. I'm serious, I'll be there for you." He said and carefully ran his fingers through Komaeda's hair.

"You don't know that." Nagito protested. "Even if you say you will- you have no way of knowing if you'll suddenly leave."   
Beyond the fear that he himself would drive Hajime away, Nagito realized he was afraid Hajime would leave him the way his parents had. Out the door, on the way to a business trip one day, and a phone call from the police ten days later. He realized the thought scared him even more than the alternative.

"Well, I'll do my very best to avoid that then." He promised. "But you will be loved properly Komaeda. I promise you that you will."

"Why would you promise something like that? You know you'll have no way of keeping it." Nagito protested weakly, arguing more on principle than by any real discomfort at this point. He was too exhausted, and far enough gone that he would admit part of him just really liked hearing Hajime talk and feeling his chest rise and fall in tandem with his own.

"Well, because this is a promise I'm confident I'll be able to keep," Hajime said matter-of-factly. 

"See? Too optimistic." Nagito sighed. "I told you so, didn't I? I have no idea how you've managed to put up with me this far- even now I'm causing trouble for you. I ruined your time with your friends, all because of some stupid idea I couldn't get out of my head. I really am the worst."

"No, you're not. Souda overstepped and it was time to go." Hajime reassured.   
"That's alright though. We can try again later. You have a lot to work on. Compared to before you've really made progress, haven't you? You hung out with Nanami, didn't you?" 

"I did." Nagito agreed. "I liked petting Amaterasu." He knew he should probably elaborate, but didn't really feel like it.  
Instead, he shut his eyes, held upright only by leaning against Hajime's chest and steadied by his arms.

"So I'm guessing you like fluffy dogs then? Do you prefer them big or small?" He asked and laid down and pulled Nagito with him, laying the other on top of him as he looked up into the ceiling. 

Nagito shrugged. "Hope was pretty small, so I suppose smaller. I like all dogs though, they're truly good creatures. They'll love anyone unconditionally, no matter their shortcomings, don't you think Hinata-kun?"

"I'd say so, yes. In a way, you remind me of a dog. You're just as cute and fluffy as one at least." He said, carefully stroking his head.

Nagito's face turned the shade of Souda's hair in an instant, courtesy of Hajime's... Whatever that was. Nagito didn't think it was normal, friendly teasing, but then again what was the alternative?

"I... I- I'm... Glad youthinkso" Nagito managed, stuttering and jittery like a champ.

"Maybe a Japanese spitz?" He suggested with a small smile

"Oh- but Japanese spitzes are too cute." Nagito protested lazily. "Actually- all dogs are too cute. Comparing me to them is insulting the dogs."  
"I won't stand for you insulting dogs you know, Hinata-kun. This is very serious." He tried for a teasing tone, hoping it came off less forced than it probably was.

"Heh, I don't know if I agree with you but that's a good one." he chuckled. "You're cute though, and you look just as much as a cloud as a spitz. Adorable." he snickered.

That... Definitely wasn't just friendly talk, right? How did friends interact? This wasn't normal, right? Nagito didn't know.  
He decided to enjoy it and try not to think about it, in case he turned out to be wrong. Better to wonder than risk Hajime finding out about him.

"I'm not." He argued in futility, bringing one hand up to rub at his eyes. "Besides, it's hypocritical of you to say that when you..." Nagito didn't feel like finishing that sentence. Nope. Definitely not.

"When I'm what?" he chuckled, intrigued, hands still gently playing with his hair.

"Nothing. Don't worry about it. It's fine." Nagito said, tacking on the final part more out of habit than anything else.

"Alright then," he said, dropping the matter. "This is nice. I can't wait for you to come home with me."

"Mm. Me either." Nagito confessed, happy for the change of subject.  
"As kind as everyone here has been, I can't wait to leave. I hate being this weak." He glared down at his useless excuses for legs. Really, some bruising and malnutrition did not warrant being bedridden for two weeks!

Of course, that was the understatement of the year but Hajime was despite what we've been writing, not a mind reader so he laid, cuddling Nagito and enjoyed the moment with the ever-gnawing anxiety in his gut.

Nagito dozed off eventually oblivious to Hajime's worries and lulled by the comfortable warmth and the steady presence of Hajime's breathing. He was too tired to talk more, and both his eyes and throat felt raw from crying.

The two were woken up by a nurse at eight, telling them that visiting hours had been over for a few hours and Hajime apologized, hugged Nagito goodnight and headed home. 

Nagito sat up late that night, alternating between reading and just staring up at the roof, lost in thought. He couldn't get himself to concentrate on his book, couldn't quite put himself in the suffering main character's shoes when he himself felt like he was enveloped by a comfortable warmth and love.

He wondered if this was what Hajime felt like all the time, maybe that's why he hadn't been very fond of dystopian literature.

There he went again, completely falling out of the scenario he had been reading about. Oh well. Nagito leaned back, content to just lie in bed and think for a while. He considered putting on his audio books but knew that he wouldn't be able to concentrate, so ultimately decided against it.

He needed time to process what had happened that day. And time, as sad as it was, was about all Nagito had nowadays.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gundham entering a coffee shop and asking the employees to sign his cup "Supreme Overlord of ice" Is such a mood.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for some homophobia towards the end of the testimony segment in this chapter!  
> If you're uncomfortable with that sort of thing, please be careful!

The next day found Hajime waiting outside his sister's office at the Prosecutorial building, heart pounding, and mind racing with worry. Anytime now, Izuru would come out and walk him to the police station, where both she and the opposing attorney would oversee his testimony against Titus.  
In other words, if he screwed this up, he might be the reason why Nagito's rapist and attempted murderer walked free.

Izuru saw her brother through the one-sided window in her study and gathered her things, pushing open the door and greeting him cooly.  
"Hajime. You're a bit early. We're not due at the station for another 15 minutes." She commented breezily, double checking the time on her watch. 

"Excuse me for wanting to be here in time. Better safe than sorry." Hajime bit back. "Sorry, I shouldn't snap at you."

Hajime's body language was tense and folded inward, and Izuru noticed the look in his eyes for the first time. Ah- her little brother was nervous.

It wasn't unusual, but it explained his prickly behavior and his presence. Hajime always showed up early to big events, psyching himself out and getting scared he would be late.  
"It doesn't matter. It's a bit of a walk to the station, in any case. We can go over your statement a bit on the way."

"Yes, please. I don't want to say anything wrong that could be used against him..." Hajime worried.

Hajime was clenching his fist, and his tense body movements told Izuru that nothing she said right then would be remembered or heeded.  
She needed to calm him down.  
"We will do that. First and foremost, however, how is Komaeda-san doing?" She started to walk toward the elevator as she spoke, Hajime following behind her.

"He's much better physically, he's walking short distances now and while he gets much more panic attacks and flashbacks he's opening up." Hajime rambled.

"That's comforting to hear." Izuru agreed. "What about your other friends? Souda-san and Nanami-san, was it?"

"They're good, Nanami is being her old self and she's getting fairly well along with Komaeda, mainly because of her dog. Souda had some trouble in paradise but I think they managed to solve it. Nagito and Souda kinda clash-" Hajime rambled on.

Izuru turned a corner, mentally calculating how much longer she could have Hajime ramble before she had to intervene and bring up some of the more difficult topics.  
13 minutes left. If they took a detour through a nearby park, Izuru could let Hajime talk for 2 more minutes. That should be adequate time.

Hajime rambled on for a while.  
"-but I guess all of this is unimportant since the police aren't going to call me about this." he ended his rant with as he realized what he was doing.

Perfectly on time. Izuru nodded at him, glancing quickly at her watch and confirming that it was indeed 9 minutes and 46 seconds until their meeting with the Police department.  
She cleared her throat.

"That's good to hear, Hajime. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to move on to preparing you for testimony." She didn't wait for his response before moving forward.  
"The Police are going to ask you a lot of questions, and while it is important that you answer them truthfully, do not volunteer information that they did not ask for. This will do nothing but make my life more difficult."

"Okay, I think I should be able to do that. What does more than necessary mean?" he asked, heart still beating out of his chest.

"Simply adhere to the point, and don't go off on tangents. Oh- and there's one more thing." Izuru led them off the pathway and in behind some bushes for some semblance of privacy. They still had 8 minutes to go.

"Hajime, what are your intentions toward the plaintiff?"

"What? What do you mean?" Hajime asked.

"Do you harbor romantic feelings for him, and do you plan on acting on them?" Izuru said bluntly.

"What? He's a guy Izuru! I-" Hajime didn't know what to say, was he that obvious? He'd done everything he could to not embody any stereotypes-

Izuru snorted. "What significance does his gender have? I'm asking you, Hajime, do you harbor feelings for Nagito Komaeda?"  
7 remaining minutes, they just passed by the church. Izuru slowed her footsteps a bit.

"I'm not - since when did you know? and to answer your question I don't know- it's complicated, I don't know," he said, his heart getting ready to jump out of his chest if he wasn't careful.

Izuru swallowed calmly. "Alright. As for how I know you prefer males, I'm your sister, of course, I was aware. Your body language practically screams it." She could practically hear Hajime's breathing quicken beside her. He was surprised.  
"I do not particularly care about your feelings for him--but in the event that you're asked this very question in court, you need to answer no. Can you promise me that?"

"Yes. Yes, I will. It'll protect him, right? Then I'll do it." he said confidently, taking a deep breath to calm down.

"Good. This is as much to protect you, as to protect him, I'm afraid, " Izuru said. She didn't particularly want to bring up the worst case scenarios, but she knew that neither the Japanese court or population liked homosexuals.

"The opposing defense Attorney might try to use an attraction to weaken your testimony in court. He'll argue that you only did it to protect your boyfriend.  
Were Komaeda-san not already publicly out, this wouldn't have been a problem, but as it is we need to take precautions."

"God, that's just bullshit." Hajime frowned but knew very well that what she said was true.

Izuru couldn't help a small, amused smile. "Be that as it may, it is still an intricate part of the case. This could very well be the difference between winning and losing, seeing as you are a key witness."

"Well, I guess we're just bros then. We're not really dating or anything either." Hajime said.

Izuru nodded. "Good. Other than that, there's not a whole lot I want to talk about. You'll be hooked up to a lie detector, don't worry, this is standard procedure. They'll let you know how it works when you get there."

"Aren't lie detectors super easy to cheat?" he asked confused.

Izuru's lip twitched in amusement. "You watch too much television, Hajime. Real lie detectors aren't, though they aren't reliable enough to be considered anything but circumstantial evidence. Don't worry- as long as you tell the truth and relax you'll pass with flying colors."

"Are you gonna be the one asking the questions?" Hajime asked, balling his hands up into nervous fists.

"No- that'll be the detective in charge. However, as the prosecutor in charge, and as you are my witness, I will be there. If they ask any irrelevant questions, I will intervene."

Only three more minutes now. The Police station was getting visible behind a bakery and an office building. Izuru hoped Hajime didn't have too many more questions.

"Yes, as I said I will be there as a consultant. I won't do anything that might contaminate your testimony, however." Izuru said.  
"You'll do well." 

"You really think so?" he asked, a tiny smile of relief washing over him.

"I do," Izuru said simply.

They arrived at the police station, one minute and two seconds prior to the set time. As Izuru entered, a girl with purple hair and dark clothes, who was sitting on a sofa by the reception, shut the brown-clad file she'd had on her lap and got up.  
Kyoko Kirigiri, granddaughter to the famous Fuhito Kirigiri, one of the most prominent detectives in Japan. She had only recently completed her education, but she already had quite an impressive resumé. She was one of the leading detectives on the case, Izuru remembered.

Kyoko approached them, extending one gloved hand in greeting. "Kamukura-san, it's a pleasure." She said, coldly and professionally. Izuru liked her already.

Hajime stood awkwardly by the two women just radiating power, feeling kinda lost to the human eye or any eye for that matter when standing next to them.

"Detective Kirigiri," Izuru greeted. "I'm here regarding ___. A key witness, Hajime Hinata is supposed to be questioned today. May we proceed?"

Kyoko checked her papers, and then led them inside. Hajime was escorted to a different room, where a Police officer explained how the lie detector works, whilst fastening the machine to his wrists.  
" We'll begin questioning momentarily. Do you have any further questions?" He asked, stoic and a bit bored.

Hajime opened his mouth to comment on how stupid lie detectors were but shut it before he said anything. "Nope, no I'm good."  
He was incredibly nervous

After the affirmation, the officer left the room. A few moments later, Kyoko, Izuru and a dark-haired man entered and took their seats opposite to Hajime.

"My name is detective Houzuki." The man said as an introduction. "This is detective Kirigiri." Kyoko raised her eyes to meet Hajime's at the mention of her name.

"Now then, if you could please state your full name, and we can begin." Houzuki continued, leaning back in his chair.

"Hajita Hanime- no, Hinata Hajime-- sorry." Hajime blurted, shivering. "Sorry."

"It's quite alright," Houzuki said, with an accommodating smile, though his icy glare had not lessened in intensity.  
"Hinata-san, please. Could you please tell us the color of your shirt?

"What? Oh, white, why?" he asked, fumbling with his hands.

"Didn't the police officer earlier tell you? It's nothing but a test to make sure the lie detector works properly. We can't use the results if it shows you're lying when we already know you're telling the truth, can we?" Houzuki said a bit tensely.  
"Now then, do you want some time to calm down, Hinata-san, or are you ready to begin?"

"Nope! I'm good, super great, let's go!" Hajime rambled, the lie detector actually for once detecting his lie but that was mainly because his anxiety was spiking and his heart beating at a rapid pace.

Houzuki waited a few seconds anyway until the detector showed Hajime's heartbeat had somehow regulated itself.  
"Very well then, Hinata-san. I'd like to ask you when the first time you met Nagito Komaeda was?"

"A couple of weeks ago, he came into the coffee shop I work at with Mr. Miller," Hajime said honestly and took a deep breath to further calm down. This was going to okay. He just had to stay calm - oh God what if he didn't stay calm--what if he incriminated himself, what if he fucked up Nagito's case?!

"Hinata-san, please. Do not hesitate to let us know if you need a minute."  
It was Kyoko who had spoken up this time, giving him a sympathetic look. 

"Hinata-san, please, try to calm down. You are not under suspicion for anything. You are just here to help Komaeda, correct?" Izuru added, leaning forward and feeling the same angry tension as she had when Hajime had been called to read out loud in preschool, and the kids had made fun of his stuttering.  
Izuru didn't like that feeling one bit, and she had to suppress the urge to pull Hajime right out of the questioning room and go get him a kusamochi from a street-vendor as she had back then.  
Hajime had said he could do this- moreover, he wanted to. It wasn't his fault that he panicked.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Let's proceed," he said. They were right. He was okay, this was fine. This was to help Komaeda and he didn't want to waste the police's precious time.

"Very well. Could you please answer the question again. When, and under what circumstances did you first meet Nagito Komaeda?" Houzuki asked, a bit impatiently.

"A few weeks ago, almost over a month ago Nagito Komaeda and Titus Miller came into my workplace together," Hajime answered, this time much more calmly.  
See? This was going great.

Houzuki nodded. "We have security camera footage showing them passing by a store a few houses down the road. Did you interact with them in any way?"

"Miller-san flirted with me as he ordered while verbally berating Komaeda-san. Komaeda-san had multiple bruises. We, the staff, as according to store policy, reached out to ask Komaeda about his situation and offered to help diffuse the situation if he was in the unsafe company." Hajime recited. He'd gone over this like, 10000 times in his head already.

"I see." Houzuki said.  
"It was very good of you to offer help," Kyoko said, matter-of-factly.  
"Let's proceed. Did either Komaeda-san or Miller-san say or do anything, that made you explicitly suspect that Komaeda-san was abused during this encounter?" 

"They were conversing in English when they talked but while I wiped the tables by their table what I overheard was definitely hostile. On top of that Komaeda-san had plenty of visible bruises and Miller-san was extremely rude to him while they were ordering."

"I see," Houzuki said simply.  
"The same security camera that showed us Komaeda-san and Miller-san also showed us Komaeda-san heading toward your café at approximately 4 in the morning the next day. You told ambulance personnel that he'd stumbled into the café that day. Is this true?"

"Yes. He came in drugged and -" Hajime swallowed hard to not vomit. "He came in drugged, beaten up and raped. The hospital should have supplied you with enough to back that up," he said after having regained his composure.

"Indeed. Though the DNA evidence was muddled enough that we couldn't get a clear DNA fingerprint, regrettably." Houzuki said.  
"I'm wondering though, what compelled you to not only help Komaeda-san get into the ambulance, ride the entire way with him, and then stay at the hospital with him. Komaeda-san was practically a stranger, was he not?"

Izuru didn't like where that line of questioning lead, but thus far Houzuki hadn't asked anything that wouldn't be interpreted as anything other than character determining questions.

"Simple. He asked me to." Hajime answered shortly, looking to his sister for any indication that he did well.

Houzuki looked at him strangely. "You went to all that trouble, simply because Komaeda-san asked? Even though he was practically a stranger, and you would have done plenty already just getting him away from his alleged abuser and into that ambulance?"

"Of course. Wouldn't you have wanted someone to do the same if Komaeda-san instead had been your daughter, or your son?" Hajime asked as if it had been the most obvious thing to do.

Houzuki cleared his throat. "Of course- I see. In any case, when Komaeda-san approached you for the second time, did he do, say or insinuate anything that would further your suspicions about his alleged abuser?"

"Yes," Hajime said shortly, needing a moment to recollect himself.

"Hinata-san if this is too much we can-" Izuru began, but Houzuki cut her off.

"Could you be more specific? As much information as possible will be necessary to gauge the truth in this indictment, and also the mental health of the plaintiff." He said coolly.

"Komaeda himself told me that Miller-san had drugged him and that it was a common occurrence as well as admitting that Miller beat him and that the injuries issued and documented from his first report are what he considers /mild/ abuse in comparison to previous instances," Hajime said, closing his eyes as he tried to channel his inner Izuru. This was for Nagito, this would help Nagito's case, he chanted in his head like a mantra.  
"He was terrified of what Miller would do when he found Komaeda-san."

Houzuki nodded. "Of course. Do you know anything that might corroborate that statement? Any recordings or the event, people you mentioned the event to, or such?"

"I believe the CCTV's feed from that day was taken in by the police as evidence if I'm not mistaken? But other than that I don't think so. There's the 112 dispatch call but-" he looked over to Izuru and shut his mouth.  
Don't discredit yourself as a source, Hajime. You went to law school for at least a couple of years. You know better than this.

"We do have the CCTV feed, but no audio. In that case, I suppose it can't be helped. We'll have to question the plaintiff himself to get corroboration." Houzaki said.

"In any case- according to Attorney Kamukura, the plaintiff moved in with you after his discharge from the hospital. Could you tell me what motivated this decision? Was this his idea, or yours?"

Hajime had no idea what to answer and looked panicked over to Izuru. Honestly, it was his suggestion and Nagito hadn't said much against it, moreso it was a decision they made together. To help Nagito back on his feet.

Izuru shot Houzaki a look. "Is this really a necessary branch of questions? What bearing does it have on the case?"

Houzaki glared at her.  
"It's necessary because we need to know that Komaeda-san hasn't been forced into yet another power imbalance. The circumstances are suspicious, you have to agree." 

Izuru immediately exclaimed, "You are badgering my witness!  
Ha-Hinata-san is not under any suspicions at the  
moment, and insinuating such is slander!"

"It was a mutual agreement. He didn't have a place to stay after we froze Komaeda and Miller's assets so that Miller wouldn't be able to ruin Komaeda as revenge and I offered him to stay at my place until he got him back on his feet." Hajime said, half - honestly, leaving out how it took plenty of convincing Komaeda that he was worth basic human needs.

"I see," Houzaki said, unconvinced.  
"I should hope that's the end of that line of questioning," Izuru said sternly.  
"It has no bearing on the current case, and is affecting my witness negatively." 

Houzaki cleared his throat, a nervous habit he seemingly displayed. "In any case, we will have to question Komaeda-san about your stay together at a later date. I would like, if you are willing-" he sent a pointed glare toward Izuru, who shrugged it off effortlessly, "-to please describe the events leading up to the 26/5 incident."  
Hajime looked lost, and Izuru clarified.  
"What happened before Komaeda-san left your apartment, prior to his kidnapping and subsequent hospitalization?" 

"Not much. I offered him to work in the coffee shop in the back so that if Miller came in Komaeda wouldn't have been put in danger. He was feeling guilty for cohabiting without paying part of the rent. Other than that nothing special. He was dealing with panic attacks from his time with Miller during the time but that's all. He stepped out to get some fresh air after a flashback and then Miller dragged him away." Hajime said, leaning out as many details as possible.  
Did he fuck up mentioning Komaeda's panic attacks? He cast a quick glance to Izuru.

So did Houzaki, and Izuru said simply, "The plaintiff has been suffering from frequent PTSD and panic attacks since he was first admitted to the hospital, back in May. This is in his file, if you'll recall."  
Houzaki muttered something, and then turned his gaze back to Hajime.  
"We interviewed your friend, Souda-san, and he told us most of what happened after you found Komaeda-san at his and his boyfriend's-" Houzaki's right eyebrow twitched, not noticeable to Hajime but certainly to Izuru, at the words. The fact that Houzaki was prejudiced didn't exactly surprise her, though it saddened her a bit.

"Unless there's anything else you want to talk about, I believe we have the testimony from you that we require, Hinata-san," Kyoko said breezily, running a hand through her smooth, pale hair.

"Alright, good? Good. Great! Then we're free to go now?" he asked, waiting to be unplugged from the lie detector.

Houzaki held up a hand. "Wait a moment- Hinata-san. We'd like you to answer one more question." Izuru gave him a glance, noting his rigid and aggressive body language. She knew she might need to interfere.

"Would you say that you are capable of providing a safe environment for Nagito Komaeda, during his unsupervised stay at your place of residence?"

"I would like to say so, yes," Hajime said confidently.

Izuru butted in with a concerned expression. "What's-" but Houzaki waved her off.

"This is just standard procedure, I'm afraid. We want to make sure that Komaeda-san is protected to the utmost. I fear that if he would live with someone who's...who could possibly pose a threat to him due to attraction, it could pose a problem. We do not want Komaeda-san to be further harmed, after all."

"What? Why the hell would I pose a threat to Komaeda?" Hajime asked, anger spurring up.

"Nobody is saying that you would-" Houzaki said quickly. "We merely want to ascertain that you won't fall prey to the same...unnatural behavior as the defendant, is all."

Hajime opened his mouth to refute but decided against it. After all, they were very much in a power imbalance. He just balled his hands into fists by his sides and took a deep breath.  
"Are we done here?"

"Yes. Yes, we most certainly are." Izuru said, slamming her hand down on the table. "Detective Houzaki, with all the respect to your investigation, the plaintiff's life has no bearing on this case, and by your insinuation that it could affect his ability to care for the plaintiff alone, I could have you accused of slander. Hajime, you needn't answer that, or any further questions here." 

Hajime gave a nod and let the light haired girl unrig him from the lie detector and so they left the station in a storm,  
Hajime's anxiety going through the roof as he went over everything wrong he said during the test and how stupid he was not to take a break, in the beginning, to calm down, shaking with strained breathing as they walked out the doors of the station.

Worst of all; he hadn't done well enough to get Nagito out of testifying.

"Hajime. You are thinking again." Izuru said.  
"Stop it. You did well. It's not your fault that the detective holds such enmity. What he did absolutely violates the trust between the police force and its subjects, especially considering you weren't actually charged of anything. I had half a mind to take him to court over it."  
Her tone was angrier than she'd used in quite a while, and her chest flared with irritation. It seemed that Hajime was teaching her all kinds of new emotions that she hadn't experienced very much before, though Izuru didn't particularly care for this one.

"I'm sorry- is it that obvious that - that in gay? Why else would ask that? He's going to use it against Nagito in court- I'm sorry Izuru, I messed it all up." he went on anxiously.

"You didn't. I'll have that part stricken from the record if he tries to bring it up." Izuru said.  
"As for you being obvious... I do not believe so. Other than reading your body language, there's really no way to tell, and even then you hide it."  
Izuru wished he wouldn't have to.

"The reason why he reacted is that your emotions showed passionate responses via the lie detector when Komaeda was brought up, particularly when we discussed his stay at your café. I... believe detective Houzaki was trying to help Komaeda, albeit in a foolish and borderline illegal way. Many on the Japanese police force, particularly the older, are very uneducated when it comes to lgbtq+, unfortunately. "

"As long as Komaeda gets out of this alright then I'll be happy," he said, hugging himself as he forced himself to take shaky deep breaths.  
"And as long as /he/ rots in jail for the rest of his life. Should I have brought up how Miller blatantly flirted with me while Komaeda was there? Or how he turned hostile when he didn't get his way and how he came in and caused trouble at the Café when Komaeda was in the back? "

Izuru thought it over. "All of those instances are valid points, but you did well to conform to what they told you. If you wish, you can tell me anything else you want to bring up, as acting prosecutor, but you did very well Hajime. Please- try to remember that."  
They reached the park they'd passed through on the way, and Izuru's head snapped to the right as she caught sight of something. A mochi stand. Perfect.  
She set course for it, gesturing for Hajime to follow.

Hajime followed obediently, almost like a dog as he caught up to his older sister's side. She'd always be the leader, no matter how old they got.

Izuru gestured. "I'll treat you. You'll want Kusamochi, won't you?" She stopped by the stand, waiting for Hajime to decide.

"You don't have to, but yes." he nodded. No matter how much they fought or how upset they were with each other Izuru would still always be his big sister.

Izuru placed her order and was soon handed a box of the treats, which she gave to Hajime.  
"Your favorite hasn't changed, even after all this time huh?" She commented after she's paid for the food. Hajime looked a bit sheepishly at the box, and she sighed.

"Eat up. You've definitely earned it. I realize how difficult that must have been."  
She didn't mention Hajime's anxiety, but he knew that's what she meant anyway.

"Thank you. And - you're a really cool person and it's amazing what you do. I would never be able to work with that every day." he said, letting his resolve go and gratefully accepted the mochi and took one for himself.

Izuru's heart swelled. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed her kind and earnest brother. She was grateful to have gotten this time to help him, even if the circumstances were terrible.  
"I... Am glad you think so. The same sentiment could be directed at you, I believe. It's true what Detective Houzuki said, despite his questionable nature. Not many people would go the lengths you did for a stranger. I've always been in awe of your compassion, Hajime. "

Hajime didn't know how to react to the praise, instead, he flushed pink.  
"I just hope someone would've done the same for me if I was in Komaeda's position."

"As do I," Izuru affirmed. She didn't even want to consider that hypothetical scenario, the thought made her nauseous. She contemplated sharing the sentiment with Hajime but reasoned it might be inappropriate.  
"Would you like some company to the hospital?" She asked instead. "I presume that's where you're headed. Komaeda must be wondering how the testimony went."

"Actually, yeah. I'd like some company." Hajime said after contemplating the thought for a while.

\---

Nagito snapped to attention when Hajime entered his hospital room after having parted ways with Izuru. He noticed Hajime's tired and ragged expression immediately and crawled toward him on the bed as well as he could.  
"Hinata-kun? Did it go well?"  
He asked, his worries and the physical strain making him breathless.

"I hope so. I think Izuru is a better judge than me in that respect," he said, enveloping Nagito in a routine hug.  
"Not as well as I'd have wanted it to go."

"Hm? What... What did they say?" Nagito asked anxiously. He hoped Hajime hadn't gotten into trouble doing this.  
Nagito didn't know if he could live with himself if Hajime was hurt while helping him with HIS problems.

"You're still going to have to testify," he said, stroking Nagito's back. "But at least you have another testimony to back you up."

"Oh," Nagito said simply, leaning against Hajime's chest. He'd had a feeling that part would be inevitable anyway, so he wasn't too torn up about it. More importantly-  
"But you're fine, right? You weren't accused of anything? I don't know how I'd survive if you got in trouble because of me."

"Yeah. The police just worried if I would be able to care for you." he said, "But other than that nothing."

Nagito huffed. "They should let me decide that for myself. I wouldn't have anyone else, you know."

Immediately after speaking, Nagito realized how embarrassing what he just said was. Unfortunately, it was too late to take it back though. All he could hope was that Hajime didn't hear, or appreciated the sentiment. To Nagito, that thought seemed highly unlikely, seeing as it came from himself.

"Really? That makes me kinda happy," he admitted, letting go of Nagito as his Nagito-meter had been recharged.

"Um- just- the police clearly didn't realize what a good person you are. I do though so...um." Nagito said, beyond relieved that Hajime hadn't acted disgusted by his slip of the tongue.

Hajime looked a bit less worried now, though, so that made Nagito glad. Hajime didn't deserve to feel worried.  
"Uh- anyway. If you don't mind me asking- what did they ask about?"

"They asked if I knew you before all of this and what happened leading up to /his/ arrest," Hajime explained.

"I see," Nagito said. He tried to psyche himself up, knowing he would have to talk about that too, but it was too difficult. He focused on Hajime instead.

"It feels good to have it behind you though, doesn't it? At least for now."  
He didn't particularly care for the angry expression Hajime got when talking about Titus.

"Yeah. But I can't help but worry for you. It'll be okay though. There's solid evidence to back you up." He said, braiding their fingers together.

"I have faith in your sister," Nagito said. "And- even if we lose the trial and I have to-" He shivered, "If I have to go /back/, I'll still be so very thankful for this time. I would probably be able to live through the end of the world, so long as I get to keep these memories."

And yeah, maybe his love for dystopian romance influenced him a bit, but Nagito kind of felt like it was true. He prayed he never had to go back to Titus, of course, but he thought that as long as he knew that he was helping people as good as Hajime, he might survive it.

"Just because you lose the trial doesn't mean that you have to go back to him you know?" Hajime said, the idea terrifying him. He already knew Titus had no problem killing.

Nagito shrugged. "He'll find me anyway. I might as well do it of my own accord and, hopefully, soften the blow a bit. Besides, I don't think he meant to hurt me that badly. He didn't actually want me to die before."  
His stomach churned uncomfortably, but somehow Nagito felt more okay talking about it than before. He trusted Hajime to not feel disgusted at him, he realized. That felt really good.

"No, I refuse. It's your choice but I won't allow it and I'll protest loudly the entire time. You shouldn't put yourself through that agony." Hajime protested. "He tried it once and he'll definitely do it again. Besides, we're not going to lose this case."

"That's right. We won't lose." Nagito said. He didn't know what he'd do if he had to choose between Titus and Hajime, and the thought wasn't one he wanted to entertain. Besides, Hajime's insistence that he wouldn't need to worry about that ever again was really comforting.

"This is going to go great. There's no way he won't be convicted," he said promptly.

"Yes. That's right." Nagito didn't know what else to say. He shifted in bed until he was half lying down, inadvertently tugging on Hajime's hand which was still in his.

Hajime scooted closer.  
"May I lay down?" he asked, their fingers still braided together.

"Uh- sure. Of course. You don't need to ask." Nagito said, lowering himself completely onto the mattress.

Hajime quickly laid down and curled up by his side. "How's walking going? Do you think you'll be discharged soon?" he asked.

Nagito nodded. "The physiotherapist said I could be discharged by the end of the week if I keep making progress. She says I'm more healthy now, and I'm not tired as often either."

"That's great news! I look forward to you coming home. You'll have to tell me what you want me to buy for your welcome home dinner." Hajime smiled excitedly.

Nagito hummed in response. "I'd be fine with anything- as long as you made it, Hinata-kun. Your cooking and baking are miles ahead of anything I've had previously, after all."

"Mm, but what do you want me to cook for you?" he asked, trying to coax it out of him.

"I... Can't really decide, to be honest." Nagito admitted. "Maybe some kind of curry? Nothing American, that's for sure. But other than that I really don't know."

"Curry is fairly easy too and tastes good. I'm up for curry too. I'll make glass noodles to it too." Hajime decided.

"I'll look forward to it then." Nagito smiled. He was thoroughly looking forward to being discharged too, though he would miss some things.  
He'd become a bit friendly with the shy nurse who gave him meals, and he realized he'd miss the cuddling with Hajime too.  
He hoped they could continue like this, even after he was able to move on his own.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey people!   
> It's been...a while, huh? Almost an entire month. I'd love to promise that we won't have such long gaps between uploads again but...school is a thing and life has a way of throwing hurdles between you and Komahina sometimes.
> 
> Anyway! At least the chapter is out now for you to enjoy. Half of this is basically Soudam, but there's a healthy dose of Komahina fluff to round it out as well. 
> 
> As always, thank you so much to everyone who's commented or left Kudos since the last chapter. We read all of your comments and cry over how nice everyone is at wayy to late in the evening so thank you!
> 
> We hope you enjoy this chapter!

The same evening, after Nagito had fallen asleep and Hajime had gone home for the evening, Souda stepped through the doors to his favorite bar. He didn't exactly drink often, and never alone, due to his unfortunate tendency to become emotional and...unstable, when under the influence, but despite talking with Hajime the day prior he hadn't mustered up the courage to go back to the pet shop and it was bugging him like crazy.  
He wanted to forget about it for a while, and he figured this was his best shot.   
Besides, he wasn't going to get drunk, just take a couple of shots to loosen up.   
He got a drink, and sat at a table near the entrance, gazing dejectedly out at the street as he sipped the drink.

Eventually, a few shots turned into a bunch of shots and not much later he sat sobbing at the bar.

The bar that Souda was crying his eyes out in, happened to be almost adjacent to an occult shop, aptly named "Miss Sonia's haven for peculiar and occult items."   
The owner of this very store, Sonia Nevermind, happened to be the best friend of the reason why Souda was crying his eyes out, one Gundham Tanaka.  
Said man was currently making his way down the street, toward his apartment after having spent the afternoon with his friend, helping out in her store. He usually didn't bother to even look at the bar on his way back, but a shock of pink caught his attention this time.  
Could that be...The barista from before?

"Another one-" Cried Souda to the bartender as he slipped the man another bill and the bartender refused, deeming Souda drunk enough to which Souda let his head fall down on the bar in disappointment.

The lighting was horrid in the bar, but from what Gundham could make out, the guy seemed pretty wrecked. He stopped by a streetlight, watching through the window as the guy argued with someone, and then let his head fall down onto the counter. Had he...fainted?  
Part of Gundham wanted to keep going down the street, but if the man truly had passed out, he couldn't in good conscience leave him where any lowlife could take advantage of him. 

Gundham sighed. He would enter, make certain the man was lucid and call him a taxi. Then he would leave and not think about the incident anymore. 

Or so he thought for when Gundham entered, Souda quickly caught sight of him and clung to him, wailing his apologies.

Gundham recoiled sharply as the pink haired man practically pounced on him. He hissed in panic, feeling the man's arms envelop his body, and tried to pry him off to no avail. "Hey- Hey cease this. Cease this at once!" He whispered harshly, not wanting to cause a scene. The man's wet cheeks buried in his chest stained his jacket.

"I'm- I'm sorry, I made you uncomfortable and offended you again, I really can't do anything right!" The highly intoxicated Souda wept.

Gundham wrapped one arm around the man, wrenching him away from his body. "Do not apologize, you fiend," he said.   
"In any case- I believe you are unfit to remain in such a volatile environment any longer. Come- we are leaving."   
He pulled Souda along, one arm wrapped around his body both to guide and steady him.

Souda followed closely- not that he had a choice and waved goodbye to the bartender.  
"You are really well built." He hummed impressed once they'd walked a bit. 

"Hm?" Gundham said, unsure if he'd heard Souda's drunken comment correctly.   
Now that he had gotten him out of there, Souda practically leaned all his weight on Gundham. He had stopped crying, but was still teary and seemed distraught.  
Gundham didn't really want to just call a cab and abandon him.

"Where do you live?" He asked instead, making an effort to speak normally, difficult though it was, as to not confuse Souda further.

"Hm? At home." he grinned happily squeezing Gundham's bicep.

Gundham cleared his throat awkwardly. "Yes, well. What's your address? How might we reach your home?"

"I usually walk home, what about you? How do we get to your home?" Souda wondered, taking his as light, pleasant small talk. "Do you have a car?"  
"Or maybe you take the bus? Or do you teleport? It would be so cool if you teleported!"

Gundham sighed with exasperation. "I do not teleport. Now, if you do not remember your address, might you remember the way to get there so that I may escort you safely back?"   
He briefly contemplated bringing him to Sonia's place, but really didn't want to trouble her that late in the night. Also, he didn't really want to explain how he knows Souda, seeing as he most certainly ruined his chances with him already by overreacting.

"Why? I thought you were bringing me to your place?" he slurred, clinging to Gundham.

Gundham flushed. "What? When did I ever- why would I do such a thing?"

"Why else would you pick me up at the bar after I apologized? Are you going to make me pay you?" Souda asked in shock.

Gundam's heart beat at 200bpm. "What is this spell you've cast on me, mortal?" He muttered under his breath, completely forgetting to speak normally.  
"I...Saw that you were unwell, and wished to ensure your safe return home, is all." He said through his teeth. "You're completely defenseless, from both monsters and people who skulk the tenebrous night, you know. You should be grateful, having someone as powerful as me protect you."

"Ooh but how are you going to protect me if you're not around?" he asked, pressing himself against his chest. "Ya know, the best part of my day is when you arrive at the coffee shop." he purred.

Gundham cleared his throat. "Uhm- I am happy to hear that. The coffee is quite delicious."   
He solemnly realized that he wasn't going to get anything out of Souda. His only option, other than leaving him outside, seemed to be to take him home for the night. Oh well- at least that meant he would be able to spend more time with the strange, attractive guy.   
Maybe he would even get a chance to apologize properly, once the other had sobered up.

Perhaps this was the will of casualty, after all.

"I make it especially for you~ Also because you're a paying customer. But gimme a kiss next time and I'll give you a discount." Souda flirted.

"You- how intoxicated are you?" Gundham stuttered. While he did plenty of pining, he was completely inexperienced when it comes to actually hold conversations with attractive people.   
Thus- he could do little but blush and hope his heart didn't beat loudly enough for Souda to feel it.

"What? I'm not drunk." he laughed, snuggling up against him as they walked.

"You clearly are!" Gundham cried in exasperation. "You're lucky my poisonous touch hasn't infected you and turned you to dust already!"  
In fact, Gundham was very much enjoying Souda's arms around him, one now slung over his shoulders in a way he knew he sometimes did to the brown-haired barista.   
He didn't want to admit that though, not to himself or Souda.

"I'm immune," Souda chirped.

"I highly doubt that," Gundham muttered. "In any case, seeing as I have been tasked by the heavens to aid you in your stupor, would you care to tell me why I found you crying your eyes out at a bar at-" He glanced at his clock- "1 am in the morning?" 

"Who knows?" He shrugged. "The bartender! Let's go ask the bartender why!" he exclaimed as if he'd discovered the cure to cancer

"We will not be doing that. Come on- my residence is just up ahead." Gundham said, feeling immense relief at seeing his apartment complex a few houses down. Souda stumbled, and Gundham had to push him forward to keep him on his feet, forcing him to push Souda's head against his neck since he was steadying him with one arm only. The other curled around his neck for support.  
"Try to remain conscious," he muttered, continuing ahead. Only a while longer, then Souda would hopefully be able to sober up a bit.

"I gotchu fam." Souda said patting his back as they walked soon attempting to break into a skip

"I am not the one in need of assistance." Gundham pointed out.   
Souda's skipping (or- attempt to) brought them swiftly to Gundham's door, and he had to keep one arm locked around the other's body in order to keep him still as he punched in the entry code.  
"I live two stairs up. We're almost there." He said as they got in, slamming the door behind them. Gundham had never been so relieved to see the dirty stairwell with the rugged band posters and narrow staircase ever again.

"Your landlady allows you to keep pets? I'm jealous!" He exclaimed loudly as they walked up the stairs.

Gundham chuckled. "Well, my Four Dark Devas are the only familiars I keep in my residence. The other familiars I care for live at the shop. I doubt anything larger would be allowed."

"Animals don't like me." Souda pouted. "Do you like me, handsome stranger?"

Gundham didn't know how to answer that, so he avoided the question altogether. "My name is Gundham, not stranger. Might I inquire as to yours?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" He snickered. "I'm joking, I'm not that drunk. I'm Kazuichi, Souda Kazuichi." 

Gundham flushed again, realizing he'd introduced himself with only his first name. He'd spent too much time around Sonia.  
"Err- right. Gundham Tanaka." He amended sheepishly.  
"Come. You can have my bed for the night," he said, guiding Souda to his door and unlocking it, ushering him inside.

"Won't you join me?" Souda purred, kicking off his shoes lazily  
"I don't wanna sleep alone..."

Gundham fumbled to hide his red face behind his scarf. "I- I will not be doing that. You're not thinking clearly." His body wasn't agreeing with him though, regrettably. He needed to get Souda tucked in, fast.

"Shh, I can think very well. And I think you're a tall, dark mysterious stranger Gundham and that's /hot/!" he exclaimed, basically throwing himself at Gundham

Gundham pushed him away, holding him at arm's length. It would take a moment for him to realize, he was practically pushing Souda against a wall.

"S-stop that." He muttered, hoping the dim light hid his red face. "You're not sober. Doing anything illicit would be a violation of your integrity-"   
At this point, his heart was pounding and he didn't know if he was trying to convince Souda or himself.

"Psh, I say go for it." Souda urged him on, quite satisfied in this position

"No! I will most certainly not "go for it" " Gundham said, grabbing onto Souda's shoulders.   
"You- stop being so damn... Ugh."   
He slumped, unsure of what to even say. He just wanted to crawl up, away from this stupidly attractive man who was off-limits and would probably be weirded out by him once again in the morning.

"Not like I'll regret having slept with the freaking Supreme overlord of ice, no? Anyone would be happy to wake up next to someone as hot as you -" no-filter-Souda chimed.

"That's not--I'm flattered you think so, but that would really not be appropriate behavior on my part," Gundham argued desperately, feeling the last of his resolve melting like butter.

"So? 'S not really appropriate to take me home and just leave me alone either." Souda pouted.

"W-wha--you're the one who refused to tell me your address!" Gundham cried.   
"I...I only did what I deemed best, considering the unfortunate circumstances."

"Well, there's one more thing you could do," he said, carefully laying his hands on Gundham's hips.  
"Y'know Gundham, I've been thinking about this ever since you came into the coffee shop, how I'd like to take you out and date you and do other kinds of things with you," he said, looking down at the others jeans before yanking him closer by his hips.   
"What about you? Do you like me too?"

Gundham gasped harshly, his grip on Souda's shoulders turning from guiding to holding on for balance. "I... Ah... Would be lying if I said I wasn't attracted. You are quite fetching, Kazuichi Souda-" he confessed, feeling the last of his resolve go up in smoke.  
"However, is this truly all right?"

"Mm, yeah. I'd say so, yes," he said in a sultry voice, looking up at Gundham through half-lidded eyes and pressed his chest close.

Gundham's breath caught in his throat at the sight, and he swallowed thickly. He and Souda were about the same height, so it would be so very easy to lean forward and just-  
His lips were locked over Souda's before he knew it, gently pressing against them in a shy attempt at kissing.

Souda quickly deepened the kiss, hungry for more of Gundham, throwing his arms around his shoulders as the two made their way into the bedroom, Gundham being extremely gentle and teasing, quickly turning Souda into a whimpering desperate mess.

They both crashed asleep almost immediately after, Gundham washing off the sleeping Souda before he joined him in bed, placing a pillow between them to not accidentally disintegrate Souda while they slept.

When Souda woke up the next morning he had a hard time deciding whether his head or his hips hurt the most.

Gundham's face was pressed into the pillow between them, his arms slung across his baked chest awkwardly. As Souda came to with pained whimpering, he scrunched up his nose and burrowed further into the pillow in order to block out the sound.

Kazuichi sat up with much effort, head pounding as he did so, the bright light pouring in from the window not doing much to help his case as he looked around the room and went over what happened last night, or, whatever tidbits he remembered, for him to end up in a room definitely not his.

That's when he caught sight of Gundham and flashes of their previous engagements caused his face to match his hair and he quickly slammed his face back into the pillow, despite previously mentioned hangover, to quickly go over his options. Of-fucking-course he had to go get shit faced drunk and screw the coffee shop boy!

That sound roused Gundham, who at this point had realized that there was no choice but to get up. He blinked blearily, he himself quite disoriented despite not having had any alcohol. Then he moved his head, and his gaze landed on Kazuichi's bright pink shock of hair. His mouth dried as he remembered exactly what had happened. He'd done exactly what he had said he wouldn't. What could he even do to make up for this? He'd broken the other's trust in the worst way possible.

Souda buried his head in the pillow further.  
A) He pretended he didn't remember what happened and leave after a mildly awkward conversation and then they never talk again  
Or  
B) He faces what he's done, apologizes for taking advantage of the other's kindness, endures an extremely awkward conversation and then they never talk again.

Considering that this had been a mutual decision from two willing partners was completely out of the picture.

Kazuichi was way more swayed by the first, easier option and then his irritating moral internal Hajime Hinata showed up and adviced against it.  
You promised to talk to himmmmm~ he echoed in a haunting, highly annoying voice.

"Do you have any Advil?" Souda finally groaned through the pillow, his hips and head making their presence known.

Gundham practically flew into sitting position, happy to have something to do other than lie around and feel miserable and confused.  
"I'll be right back," he said, getting off the bed and rushing into the kitchen.  
He ended up gathering a few things that he knew could combat hangovers, a big glass of water, advil and some fruit to stabilize blood sugar levels. He carried it all to the bed on a tray, then hovered awkwardly by the bed, unsure of what to do or say.

"So, that happened," Souda said, sitting himself up again, not daring to look the other in the eye as he gratefully accepted the Advil and the water.

Gundham cleared his throat. "Err- yes. I suppose so." Would it be presumptuous to apologize? It's not like it changed anything.  
"How... How are you feeling? Is there anything else I can get you?"

"No, this is fine. Thank you-" he smiled despite the pain.  
"And I'm sorry-"

Gundham looked at him strangely. "Do not apologize. I am the one who is to blame. I took advantage of you when you were not sound of mind, and for that, I must apologize."

"-It's not like I regret it..." Kazuichi murmured, casting a shy glance at Gundham's well-toned body.  
"You don't have to apologize. I'm the one who insisted and forced myself on you."

Gundham flushed. "That's not... I did not regret it either. However- it happened at a time when I'd thought you must already find me off-putting. I must ask- is that not so?"  
A tiny flame of Hope that maybe he hadn't screwed everything up irrevocably lit in Gundham's chest.

"Are you crazy?" Souda exclaimed, quickly turning to him, wincing as pain shot up his spine.  
"Who'd find this off-putting? If anything I'm the luckiest guy in the world!" he said, motioning to the entity being Gundham.

Gundham turned bright red. "B-but the way I acted--it would be no wonder..." His protests died out.

"Dude, as I remember you were being very adamant about not doing anything at first and then you proceeded to do me as I've never been done before, I swear your dick must be magic or something-" he caught his tongue rather quickly, realizing he was rambling about highly inappropriate things.   
"Sorry."

"It... Uh. It is alright." Gundham said lamely. What did he do now? He had no idea. Spontaneous sex wasn't exactly something he did often.  
"So- uh. What happens now?" He asked, completely at a loss.

"I don't know.. Usually, I'd just slip out and never talk to you again but I'm not really interés in interested in never talking to you again because I find you interesting- who wouldn't?- so, but it's up to you. Maybe we could start by having breakfast?" he suggested.

Out of all of the benign- Gundham couldn't help chuckling. "All right. Do you think you can get up?" He gestured to the bed, where Souda had curled in on himself beneath the covers.

"I don't know, you tell me. After that pounding, I'm not so sure." Souda joked but got up from the bed, albeit in quite a bit of pain.

Gundham crouched down, gathering Souda's clothes and handing them to him and turning the other way so that he could make himself decent. It was at this point he realized that he himself only wore pants, and threw on a dark T-shirt as Souda got dressed. His hair was a mussed, tangled mess apparently, so Gundham scowled at it in the mirror. His eyeliner had also gotten smudged, and he realized it would be hellish to try and wash it off

Souda quickly got dressed and pulled back his messy hair into a tiny ponytail before the two headed out to Gundham's kitchen, getting vivid flashbacks from last night as he watched Gundham brew coffee from the kitchen table.  
"Can I have your number?"

"Uh- I'm not certain where my phone is at the moment. I might look for it after the coffee is finished, should you desire it, however." He said. "In any case, what would you like for breakfast K-uh, Souda?" He really had spent too much time around Sonia. Damn her and her Novoselic traditions.

"You can call me Kazuichi if you want," he said with a small smile. "You certainly know me intimately now. And I'm fine with whatever."

Gundham chuckled at the blasé way Kazuichi talked about it. "I suppose I have. Alright then, Kazuichi. Feel free to call me by my first name as well."  
He brought out some rice and greens from the fridge, figuring that he would heat it up. It was a simple, easy breakfast, but Gundham had the feeling neither of them felt like jumping into a head-on cooking session.

"So, you work at that pet shop. How come?" He asked as he waited for breakfast.

Gundham shrugged. "Ever since I was young, I have had a special connection to the dark familiars of this realm" He cut himself off, remembering how weirded-out Souda had been by his usual manner of talking before.

"In any case. I did not have many human friends as a child, so I befriended the animals instead. Ever since I have desired to work with them as I grow up."  
He threw a glance over to Kazuichi.  
"How about you? Why did you decide to work as a barista?"

"It was where I could get a job. It pays the bills. I'd prefer working with machines though, but people aren't interested in hiring unless you have a college degree. So now I'm saving up to get my own mechanics shop." he said with a smile.

"Ah. An admirable endeavor." Gundham said with a smile. The coffee alerted him that it was ready, though the other food would take a few more minutes. Gundham poured two cups and handed one to Kazuichi.  
He found his phone in the hallway quickly and unlocked it.  
"You desired my contact information?" He said, holding it up for Kazuichi to see.

"Yes!" he said and dialed in his number and called Gundham. "Now you have my number too." he grinned, graciously taking the coffee cup.

"So... Does that mean you want me to call you?" Gundham said, uncertainly. He couldn't figure Kazuichi out. He acted so flippantly and unaffected by a situation that, in Gundham's view, was completely world-changing. Where did they even go from here?

"Well, yes. Especially if you ever wanna do something like last night again," he said flushed. "Can I call you too?"

"You want to do it again? What... Would that make us exactly?" Gundham asked, perplexed. What was actually going on here?

"I don't know. But I want to get to know you better. We just took this a bit in the wrong order, if you want too. Maybe dating? Or friends with benefits? We could be normal friends too if you want." Souda said.

This had to be the point where Gundham pressed pause and explained that his entire dating history included like three people. Four, if he counted Sonia in 3rd grade, though that had ended when she decided she needed to keep herself pure so she could marry a demon.

Kazuichi looked so comfortable though, so Gundham didn't really want to admit that he barely even knew what "friends with benefits" meant. Instead, he shrugged.  
"I would not be opposed to doing last night over, and I would be lying if I said you did not intrigue me, Kazuichi. I do not know what that makes us, however."

"Maybe we should just wait and see where this takes us and decide after?" Souda suggested.

"That sounds doable." Gundham agreed with relief. The rice dinged, letting the pair know that breakfast was ready. Gundham filled two bowls and set them on his kitchen table, along with  
chopsticks and glasses of water.  
"So- uh." He began as they ate. "I must say, I am not very used to such situations as this. I hope you'll forgive my blithering awkwardness."

"No, it's okay. I'm not really a great conversationalist either," Souda replied with an awkward laugh. "You are forgiven."

"I- mortals are very difficult for me to comprehend," Gundham admitted.   
"I am glad you forgive me, though."

Souda shrugged. "It's not a big deal. Let's just figure things out as we go. Can't be too hard, right?" He smiled widely and Gundham would be a liar if he didn't admit it made his heart skip a beat. 

"I- Alright. That sounds doable," He said with a careful grin of his own, and they returned to eating in comfortable silence.  
Gundham couldn't shake the feeling this was the beginning of something truly special, even when he walked Souda to the door after breakfast. He hoped it would last.

A week later another happy discussion took place between Hajime, excited like a kid on Christmas and Izuru, calm and collected as usual as they entered the hospital for hopefully the last time in a very long time to get Komaeda home.

Nagito had been practicing his walking for the better part of the week and was happy to finally be able to move mostly normally.   
He was also immensely enjoying wearing his own clothes, jeans, a dark shirt and an open leather jacket that the police had let him take from his apartment.   
All in all, he was just as excited as Hajime and Izuru to finally be able to leave the hospital, though it didn't really show. His doctor had come in with papers earlier that day for him to sign, and now he was just waiting for Hajime and Izuru to come to pick him up since both had agreed that Nagito couldn't get home by himself. 

Hajime had managed to convince Izuru to help out and drive them to Hajime's home, seeing as Nagito didn't really walk well yet and Hajime had some serious little sibling puppy dog eyes, despite being over 20 years of age.

Hajime knocked on Komaeda's door for the last time and peeped in.  
"Good morning Komaeda!" he chimed happily.

Nagito's heart jumped in excitement, and he smiled faintly as Hajime entered. "Good morning, Hinata-kun." He got up, walked to the door a bit unsteadily and leaned on the wall by the doorway.   
"How are you?"

"I'm great. You're finally getting discharged!" he exclaimed, heart swelling as he saw the other walk, just wanting to pick him up in a hug and swing him around.  
He didn't do that though as he knew better.

"That I am. It's a relief." Nagito said happily. "Well, the doctors said I could leave whenever I wanted, so unless you have something you want to do-" He burrowed his hands in his pockets, a bit uncomfortable.

"Nothing in particular. Let's go?" he asked, offering his hand for support while they walked. "Izuru brought her car."

The air around Izuru was still kind of intimidating Nagito, but he could tell that Hajime was a lot less relaxed than before. He wondered what had happened, but decided not to bring it up. Instead, he greeted her politely and waved goodbye to Nurse Tsumiki as they left the hospital. 

Nagito's first step out into the outside world was...intense. He'd forgotten just how bright and noisy the streets were, and he had to stop for a few moments to let it all sink in.   
He got used to it pretty quickly though, his body adapting to the rules that had come into play before his hospitalization.   
"It's...nice to be back." He breathed, squinting against the sunlight.

"It's good to have you back." he smiled, Izuru leaving to go pull up her car.  
"And it's got to see you up on your feet again."

"I'm glad you think so," Nagito said, shielding his eyes from the light with one hand. "It'll take some getting used to-" he muttered, already feeling uncomfortably hot in his jacket. 

"Do you want to borrow a pair of sunglasses?" Hajime asked, digging out a pair from his own bag.

Nagito accepted them gratefully, already feeling the pressure in his head lessen somewhat as the world turned darker and easier to discern. He imagined he looked hilarious, dressed in sunglasses, leather jacket and with unkempt hair.   
"Thank you- Hinata-kun. Who decided sunlight had to be this harsh anyway?"

"I don't know. But at least the air is cold enough to feel crisp. I think autumn is my favorite season." he hummed as they slowly walked down the sidewalk while waiting for Izuru.

"I could see that." Nagito agreed easily. Were they really discussing the weather? Though, it was nice and didn't feel forced at all. He decided to indulge himself a bit.  
"I think mine is spring- though that's mostly because I used to get really excited for my birthday in spring."

"The 28th right? In April?" he asked to confirm, deciding then and there what he was saving for now.

"Yeah. You- remember that?" Nagito asked, amazed. "I never thought...Well, it doesn't matter. I haven't celebrated it for a long time, so I'm not sure why I would have even told you, but thank you for remembering it anyway."

"I'll bake you something nice for it next year," Hajime promised him.  
"I have almost all of the ingredients I need at home for tonight but I need to know if you want green, red or yellow curry."

"Oh um- would green be alright?" Nagito suggested uncertainly. "I'd be honored whatever you made though- don't get me wrong." He laughed, feeling happier and more energized than he had in a while, due to no longer being completely malnutrition.

Nagito's happy mood followed him all the way to the car, and though the ride back to Hajime's apartment was a bit awkward it turned out okay. The stairs to Hajime's apartment proved a hurdle though, and Nagito had to be half carried by Hajime to get up to the second floor and get in.  
Izuru excused herself when they reached Hajime's door, claiming that she was far too busy to stay any longer, but wishing Nagito well before she left. Hajime beamed at her after that, and Nagito found himself thinking they seemed a lot more like siblings now.

Stepping into Hajime's apartment was strange. Nagito found himself thinking he saw the space in a whole nother light now, after everything.   
He no longer felt as out of place, probably due to him feeling a lot more comfortable in Hajime's presence. 

"It's...cozier than I remember." He commented, stepping in after Hajime.  
The familiar twinge of guilt at forcing Hajime to take care of him resurfaced, but he tried to quench it, not wanting to ruin things when Hajime seemed so excited to have him back. 

"I'm glad you think so. I took the liberty of cleaning up a little. Welcome home, Komaeda." he grinned widely, agreeing on the apartment feeling much cozier now that they were two. 

Nagito felt a weird warmth in his chest at hearing Hajime's words.  
He couldn't remember the last time he'd had a home.

His eyes prickled and- oh god was he crying? How embarrassing. He wiped his eyes with his arm quickly, hoping Hajime hadn't noticed.  
"U-um, thank you, Hinata-kun."   
His mind supplied a memory of when they'd been walking to HOPE's Coffee. It seemed almost like yesterday and an eternity away at once. They'd been joking about that then, hadn't they? Nagito wanted Hajime to laugh like that again.   
"Honey, I'm finally home." He said, noting the wavering and thickness of his voice. He could only hope Hajime didn't.

Hajime let out a light laugh, noticing both Nagito's tears and his attempt to hide them so he chose to ignore it.  
"Welcome home darling, what would you like first? A bath, dinner or me?" Hajime replied in the ever so cliché manner.

Nagito laughed as his face turned red. "Oh stop it-" he managed between bouts. More tears gathered in his eyes, turning his vision blurry but this time he hoped he could pass it off as laughter.  
"You're insufferable." He muttered as he shrugged off his jacket, neatly hanging in behind him. 

"Thank you, I try." Hajime smiled, getting a sudden urge to kiss his cheek. He didn't though.  
"I'll go get started on the curry. Feel free to join me or go unpack." 

"Ah- please let me help you. It's the least I can do, you've done so much for me already." Nagito said hurriedly, following Hajime as he headed toward the kitchen.

"Come on then." he smiled and began unpacking the things they'd need from the fridge. "You can sit by the table and peel if you want to rest your legs," Hajime said and pulled out his phone and connected to his small BOSE speaker.

"Alright. What will you need me to chop, Chef Hinata?" Nagito asked, getting a chopping board and knife ready.  
As his hand closed around the metal object his mind flashed back to having that cold metal pressed against his throat, feeling it press closer with cold and pain and-

He dropped it on the table, looking down at his hand with disgust.

*It's just chopping vegetables, you've done it a thousand times. You're overreacting*, he told himself sternly, forcing himself to pick up the knife again.  
God he hoped Hajime hadn't witnessed that. He didn't want to explain what had happened- and moreover, he didn't want Hajime feeling bad or thinking he was too fragile to help out.

"You good?" Hajime asked, paying him no mind. He'd gotten advice from his former therapist to not pay too much attention to Nagito's behavior unless the other made it obvious that he needed it. It was apparently better this way. 

"I'm...Fine. Perfectly fine." Nagito said shakily. "Now, what do you need me to chop? Peppers? Mushrooms? Anything else?" 

"Alright. Don't push yourself too hard so you injure yourself. You could start by helping me dice the mushrooms?" Hajime suggested and put down the bowl.  
"Tell me if you want a smaller knife," he said, focusing on bringing the water up to a simmer on the gas stove. 

"No, this works," Nagito muttered, beginning to chop the mushrooms with calm, steady movements into perfect slices. He managed to distract himself from the memories with the calm and methodical cooking, just as he used to back when he lived with Titus.  
"The mushrooms are chopped." He announced distractedly after a while, pushing them to the side and getting ready to finish the peppers.

"Thank you!" Hajime chirped gratefully, yet again getting the urge to kiss Komaeda's temple.  
"Actually, could you open the water chestnuts for me instead?" he asked, motioning to the jar.

Nagito put down the knife on the cutting board, looking over to where Hajime was pointing.  
"Certainly."   
He accomplished the task relatively easily, popping the lid off the jar without too much effort despite his poor hand strength, and placed it by Hajime, who was stirring the large pot.   
"Here you are, Hinata-kun."

"Thank you so much. Would you mind peeling the bamboo sprouts as well?" he asked of him, quickly chopping the peppers.

Nagito shook his head, moving over to the counter and getting started on his task.  
"Hm, it's been a while since I last cooked." He mused, immersed in his task and barely aware he was even talking. "I've quite missed it."

"It's much more fun to cook with someone," Hajime admitted and began preparing the chicken.

Nagito opened his mouth to argue in favor of the added control one had when doing everything themselves, but realized he didn't really have an argument there. Titus never helped with the cooking.

"I suppose I wouldn't really know." He admitted quietly, putting the bamboo he'd finished to the side absentmindedly.

"Well now you know, no?" Hajime hummed. "May I hug you?" he asked and put the chicken cubes in the frying pan.

"Of course," Nagito answered easily, finishing the last of the bamboo. "I've told you before, Hinata-kun. You don't need to ask."

"Alright. I'm going to keep asking though." he hummed and gave him a half side-hug as he fried the chicken.

"Mm." Nagito hummed contentedly. "This is certainly a point in favor of cooking together."

"You're very huggable, Komaeda." Hajime hummed, hand resting on his waist as he moved the chicken to the curry pot.

Nagito chuckled. "I'm sure that's not true, though I am pleased you think so. You're a very good hugger, Hinata-kun."

It was strange how Hajime held him the same way that Titus liked to, but it felt completely different.  
Titus' touch had felt restrictive, like a chain tethering Nagito to him and rendering him unable to get away.  
Hajime felt comfortable, easy.  
Like he didn't /need/ to have a hand there, but decided to anyway. Like he genuinely wanted his arm around Nagito and his hand on his waist. For some reason.

"I saved my best hugs for you." he smiled widely as he stirred the curry pot and added some more ingredients.   
"I've been holding on to them all my childhood and now I'm gonna shower you with the best hugs I can muster."

Nagito couldn't help laughing at that. "Really now? You didn't need to go through all that trouble for me, you know. I'm flattered you would save something so precious on my account."

"Wanna be let in on a little secret?" he asked. "I'm glad I did. You deserve them, Komaeda. You deserve the very best"

Aaand there Nagito went again, rendered bright red with only a few words. It really wasn't fair, the effect Hajime had on him, seemingly without even realizing it.  
This time he didn't even have dim lighting or a pillow to hide his face in either, so he deemed the best course of action to change the subject, except he kind of didn't want to.  
He wanted Hajime to talk more about how huggable he was and how much he mattered to him. How selfish.

"That's not much of a secret, Hinata-kun. You've been saying such things ever since we met, no matter how untrue they are," he mumbled in response, compromising with himself.

"Hm, but this is a fact about how I feel, no? Therefore I can't be wrong when telling you about them. And I'm very happy I saved my best hugs for you." Hajime argued, smile even wider as he caught sight of Komaeda's red face.  
"How spicy do you want the curry?" he asked, reaching for a spoon and fished up some for Nagito to taste.

Nagito couldn't care less about the spice but shrugged a response when Hajime gave him the spoon to try.  
His heart was busy soaring so high it might have reached the sun on wax wings, and Nagito tried not to think about the inevitable plummet back down to earth. For now, he'd enjoy it.  
"Shouldn't your girlfriend have gotten that honor? Are you certain you want to waste them on me, Hinata-kun?"  
Nagito said, hoping for some revenge by teasing Hajime back.

"I-"  
Hajime remembered them briefly discussing this before, but after all that Nagito had been through it wasn't exactly strange that he didn't remember. That left him with quite a conundrum, though.

Did he remind Nagito of his sexuality, or leave it for now? Would it make things weird between them, would Nagito still feel as safe living with him? He didn't want to compromise the situation they were in, they were having such a nice time. But Nagito didn't deserve being lied to. 

"I'm certain that I want to. You deserve them." Hajime settled for, as this way he didn't lie. But maybe he should tell him? It wouldn't be right to keep that from him.  
"Besides, I'm not really interested in getting a girlfriend per say..."  
Okay. He was doing this.

"Hm? What do you..." Oh. OH.

Nagito was an idiot. The most pathetic, imbecilic idiot to ever live. Hajime liked guys. Even worse- now that Nagito thought about it- he actually remembered Hajime mentioning it in passing before. They hadn't made a big deal about it but...  
It shouldn't even really be surprising, seeing as Hajime reacted to his and Titus' relationship without as much as blinking, while usually they were avoided or scorned.  
His stupid self had probably made Hajime really uncomfortable by assuming, without even thinking first.  
"Oh- right. I'm sorry for assuming. I really should know better, don't you think?" He laughed nervously.

"Sorry if I made you uncomfortable." Hajime apologized, letting go of Komaeda's side as the air grew stiff.  
"I'm a little happy you didn't remember though. My sister has apparently known for ages and I was worried I was too obvious."  
"Just promise to tell me if I do something that makes you uncomfortable?"

It was strange, how everything should have changed.  
After all, Hajime had the potential to be interested in him, the way that Titus had been, and others before him.  
Why hadn't his hug felt uncomfortable and restraining? Nagito missed it, but he was too embarrassed to admit to it.  
"You didn't make me uncomfortable." He said instead. "You're still you, and it's not like you chose this any less than I did, right? Why would you suddenly make me uncomfortable?"

"In case this changed something.. between.. Us.." Hajime said quietly, the redness of his face directly corresponding to how quiet he grew.  
"So! Can you boil some water? I'll take it the glass noodles." he exclaimed, quickly changing the topic as he turned to dig the glass noodles out of the pantry.

"It won't change anything. I mean, You know I'm also... I prefer guys too. You don't see me differently, do you?" Nagito said as he filled a pot with water, putting it on the stove by the curry and turning on the heat.

"Well no, but I knew from the start -" Hajime argued. "I'm glad you still trust me," he said with a small soft smile as he opened the package.

"So... Izuru found you out, huh?" Nagito said, remembering what Hajime had said before. "I mean, it's no wonder really. She's incredibly perceptive after all. How did you find out she knew, if you don't mind me asking?"

"She asked me if I were involved with you romantically and being the closet case I am I completely denied it because you're a guy and she asked why that mattered since I was gay and all. -I almost had a heart attack." he laughed softly.

Nagito chuckled. "I can imagine. That sounds... Uncalled for."  
The fact that Izuru had thought they were dating was something he didn't even want to think about right then. Yeah, better to leave that one alone. It's not like Hajime would want to date someone as pathetic as Nagito anyway.

"Well, she was right though, so points for that I guess." he chuckled. "Feel free to add more things to the curry if you want to."

After looking through Hajime's array of spices and, he brought a few different kinds back.  
"This might go well with the mushrooms," he said, handing Hajime a glass vial of crushed cumin seeds. 

"I suppose you couldn't hide anything from Kamukura-san if you tried. I've never had anyone throw my words back at me with such fervor before. It felt kind off...violating, in a way." Nagito admitted, recalling his conversation with Izuru the first time they had met.

"Yeah, she can be a bit intimidating sometimes but she has good intentions--I think." he laughed lightly.  
"She makes one hell of a prosecutor though."

"I don't doubt it," Nagito said with a smile, stirring the noodles as he talked.  
"Being cross-examined by her must be a nightmare."

"Yeah, I'm glad you got her on your side," Hajime said, taking out two bowls for them as well as spoons and chopsticks.

He set the table before adding the cumin to the curry and plated the food.  
"Dinner is served."

The curry honestly looked delicious, and Nagito would be lying if he didn't admit it felt Nice to know Hajime made it just for him. Plus- in comparison to hospital food, even fast food would probably taste delicious.  
"It looks and smells very good." He said earnestly, taking a seat by one of the plates on the table.

"I hope so," he said, straining the noodles before plating those too and sitting down across from Nagito.  
"Go ahead."

Nagito lifted the lid off the pot, blinking against the hot steam that escaped the pot as he did. He quickly filled his plate with both curry and noodles, and held out his hand expectantly for Hajime's plate, waiting to fill it as well.

Hajime handed his plate over to Nagito, thanking him as he poured up food for him as well.  
Hajime clapped his hands together in prayer, said his thanks and dug in.  
"Cumin was a great idea!"

Nagito nodded. "It would have turned out wonderful either way, but I'm glad my suggestion was of some help. Cumin is a pretty common spice for a mushroom curry after all."

"This was really good, I think I'll have to ask for your help in the kitchen more often." Hajime praised, slurping his noodles.

Nagito chuckled. "You don't need my help- all I did was chop some mushroom and peel bamboo. You did the real work." He pointed out.  
It was true though, the food was fantastic. Warm, creamy and spicy, with a hint of nuttiness from the cumin. The noodles made everything that much better, adding some texture and substance to the meal.

"Yeah, but you helped. You're the one who taste-tested it, no? Don't discredit yourself." Hajime said, enjoying a bamboo sprout.

Nagito snorted. "Says you. Accept that you made a great curry and that I'm impressed already."

"We made some great curry, together." Hajime compromised.

The two enjoyed a pleasant meal together with comfortable discussions and ended up watching a movie together while eating some cupcakes from the café. They fell asleep on the couch halfway through the film but neither of them minded.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The day of Nagito's interrogation arrives!  
> This chapter is Angst with a capital A folks, so stick with us as we drag our characters all the way through hell in 60 000 words.
> 
> That being said, we're once again reiterating trigger warnings from previous chapters and adding a few new ones as well. This being said, if you skipped previous chapters due to this, please be cautious of this chapter.  
> The warnings are as follows:
> 
> \- PTSD, flashbacks and panic attacks, stress and trauma induced.  
> -Suicidal thoughts and mentions of suicide (Nothing graphic and nothing happens beyond mentions, though)  
> -Descriptions of verbal, physical and sexual assault.  
> -Descriptions of sexual assault to a minor  
> \- Mentions of rape  
> \- Descriptions of mental manipulation and gaslighting  
> -Non-consensual drugging
> 
> (If we missed something that you feel should be added, please leave suggestions in the comments. It's pretty late, so I may have overlooked something)
> 
> In case you want to read but skip the absolutely worst paragraph. It comes immediately after:  
> "I'd like for you to describe the events that occurred after you left Hinata-san's apartment two weeks ago."
> 
> Also: Friendly reminder that neither author claim to be fully educated in law or criminal justice (especially not in Japan). All of the events described in the fic are based on our own preexisting knowledge of the subjects, with only mild research done (We're students...We ain't got time to do research!).  
> Basically: We wrote this fic for fun and there'll probably be glaring inconsistencies but roll with it pls.

Over the following days, Hajime and Nagito settled into a routine of living, working and cooking together. It was a wonderfully calm and domestic change of pace, though it came to an abrupt and screeching end the morning of Nagito's interrogation.

Hajime had taken the noon off to accompany Izuru and Nagito to the station so he was enjoying sleeping in for once, but at around 7 am he was quickly woken up by Nagito who was suffering a stress-induced flashback, the curled up under the blanket of his futon and hyperventilating.

While it hadn't been a trigger, particularly, that caused Nagito's breath to quicken to the pace of hyperventilation, he had suffered a nightmare. That, in of itself, was nothing strange. Nagito had nightmares almost every night, and he had kind of learned to deal with them at this point.  
The night prior he'd been incredibly stressed though, both guilty over Hajime deciding to take time off work just to help him, and terrified of having to testify in front of strange people he didn't know.

"Komaeda, what's wrong?" Hajime groaned, half awake as the other had tried to be as quiet as possible in his panic. As soon as he'd woken up and come to terms with what was happening a bit better he scooted over.  
"Komaeda, can you come out?"

Nagito pulled the covers tighter around himself. His antics had woken Hajime- how stupid and annoying could he even act. He didn't even had a right to be scared in the first palce, it was his own failings and flaws that drove Titus to treat him like he had. It was Nagito's own damn fault that all this had happened, and he'd brought so much trouble onto both Titus, Izuru and Hajime.  
He should just curl up until he disappeared, that would be the best solution for everything. All he was good for was holding people back and forcing them to take care of him.

"Okay, can I come in under the blanket?" Hajime tried again.

Hajime tried everything to help, but Nagito just forced him to go further and further. He'd promised himself that he wouldn't be a burden- but he hadn't even managed that. He'd forced Hajime to care for him- even gone as far as guilting him into touching and hugging him, all because Hajime was kind and showed him compassion. 

"Komaeda, can you hear me?" he asked, rubbing his eyes from sleep.  
"I'm going to lay a hand on you now, it's that alright with you?" he asked the bundle.

See? Even now Nagito is forcing Hajime to touch something as vile and repulsive as himself, just because he couldn't even get his shit together enough to let Hajime know how sorry he is for the trouble and for existing and that he doesn't have to be manipulated into caring anymore. Pathetic. 

"Nagito? Could you please breathe with me?" Hajime asked and laid down next to him, hand on his arm.

The least he could do was obey, make the remainder of his time with Hajime as easy as possible for him, before he could finally crawl away and die. Screw the trial. Titus doesn't deserve incarceration for treating Nagito like he deserves anyway. 

"Would you mind terribly looking at me?" Hajime implored softly, waiting for a response from him.  
"Place a hand on my chest and breathe with me, please?"

Nagito forced himself to move his head from its position pressed into the pillow. He looked down at Hajime's hand on his arm, shrouded in darkness from the blanket around them.

"I'll try" he breathed, shrilly and panicked as his mind continued to scream at him how much trouble he was making and how much better it would be for everyone involved if he just didn't exist.   
*Will I need to chain you up to keep you in line?* Titus had asked him once, and Nagito didn't even have the heart to disagree anymore.   
He was making so much trouble for everyone, maybe he was better off chained up somewhere, only speaking when spoken to and abandonned for all other things.

"Are you having a flashback?" Hajime asked softly as he took deep breaths to guide Nagito. "Yes or no?"

Nagito managed a nod.   
How disappointed Hajime must be in him, his mind told him coolly. Completely and utterly failing to keep it together on such an important day. He didn't deserve to win this case if he was going to act like a pathetic scared animal.

"That's okay. Do you know where you are?" he hummed, making his voice as calm as possible.

Another nod.   
He was in Hajime's living room, wasn't he? They had been watching a movie and fallen asleep.   
Hajime's steady breathing helped Nagito get his bearings somewhat, and the pressure over his chest no longer felt as all-encompassing and fatiguing. He supposed that was a good sign

"That's good. When I get home from work I want to try making jam with you." Hajime told him to distract him from whatever wad going on in his head.  
"Do you like red berries?"

Nagito squinted at him. He didn't really have an opinion, he supposed, though jam was often a bit to sweet for his tastes. He didn't want to make any more of a fuss though, so he nodded diligently. Besides, everything that Hajime made would no doubt taste good, regardless.

"Which is your favorite if you don't mind me asking?" Hajime crooned.

Nagito shrugged. He wanted to say he didn't really have a preference, but didn't know if his voice would hold. "Anything..." he whispered hoarsely, throat thick from hyperventilating.

"Then we it'll be a surprise. I'll see what berries they sell."  
"You're so amazing Komaeda." he smiled, wanting to pull him in closer.  
"Do you want to eat breakfast here?"

Nagito felt like he could sob, because he wasn't. He was fussy, selfish, terrible, inconsiderate, and so useless he couldn't even die properly!   
He was nothing like what Hajime said he was, and he didn't even deserve to be spoken of in that tone of voice.   
"No. I'm not. I don't." He said, feeling his throat tighten with tears of frustration and despair at the situation.

"Shh..." Hajime hushed him. "Steady your breath Komaeda. Should I explain why I think you're amazing?"

Nagito shook his head violently. "N-no. I'm not. You're wrong, I'm sorry but you're wrong." His tone was more pleading than anything, and his arguing devolved into a sob at the end of the sentence. blinked away the tears gathering in his eyes, wanting to hide the evidence of his failing self-control from Hajime.

"I think you're amazing because you're very considerate, even though you've been through what you have. And you try so hard to get better and your willpower is really strong. Plus, you're beautiful, Komaeda." Hajime explained. "Should we bake scones to the jam if it turns out okay?"

"You're wrong. Wrong-wrongwrongwrong." Nagito wailed between sobs and harsh inhales. 

"M not. I'm nothing but a disappointment." His tears were staining the sofa, and the mattress was sticky and wet. Still, Nagito didn't have enough energy to move his head out of the way. It was his fault in the first place.

"What have you ever done to disappoint me?" Hajime asked, stroking some wet hair out of Nagito's face.  
"Because I can't remember a single instance. As a matter of fact you've only made me proud. You recovered well from your injuries and you're already back to walking, you care about others despite what you've gone through, you were brave enough to seek the help you needed to get out of /his/ claws. You're brave, strong-willed and am inspiration. I look up to you, Komaeda. "

"You...shouldn't do that. All I've done is inconvenience so many people. Izuru, Titus, even- no especially you. I'm nothing of the things you describe me as. I'm a pathetic, weak, disgusting human being who can't live without destroying everything I touch." Nagito hissed.   
Hajime's words washed right over him, as legible as incomprehensible gibberish. They didn't apply to him, couldn't.

"Give me one example of you destroying something of mine?" he huffed.  
"If anything you've improved my life." he told him, wiping tears off of his face.

Nagito shrugged tiredly. "You haven't seen the worst of it yet. I've only known you for about one month, and I've already forced you into a situation where you need to go through a terrible ordeal, just to testify on my account because I was too pathetic to do it myself.   
...I've forced you to spend time with someone who you, rightfully, feel uncomfortable around, and I've made it so that your friends wonder where you are because you never spend time with them. Don't you dare tell me that's not all my fault." His voice rose in frustration, the self-anger fueling his adrenaline and filling him with more self-loathing and disgust that he knew what to do with.  
"And this is just the beginning. Just watch- I'll ruin your life, just like I ruined Titus' and my parents' and you Still won't see what a horrible, disgusting human being I am!" 

All the stress and worries that Nagito had been carrying rushed out of him in a jumbled, terrible cacophony of despair and anguish. All his guilty, sad or angry moments that he'd bottled up made their presence known and sent him spiraling down a dark path of self-loathing in his mind.  
"Maybe it'd have been best for everyone if I'd died when I was supposed to." He muttered against the sofa. Not knowing if, and not caring whether Hajime heard him.

"Nagito.." Hajime sat up, the cover falling off of them both. His heart ached for the other man. He looked so tiny and hurt and miserable where he laid.  
He took a deep breath and braced himself as he picked the other up into a hug, resting the other's head against his shoulder as he wrapped himself around the other.   
"Nagito, that's not true."

Nagito shivered violently from adrenaline, panic and fear in Hajime's hold. 

"Yes it is!" He cried pathetically.   
Hajime's soft tone and soothing touch was already calming him and he hated it.   
"It is...it's true. Everything I said is the truth."

"It's not." he said, a pang of guilt runing through him as he felt the other tense up in his grip.  
According to his therapist a hug could help. The person suffering from a panic attack or flashback probably first being extremely reluctant to it but eventually a release of oxytocin would trigger and it would calm them down but it hurt- It hurt so much to make Nagito so uncomfortable.

"I'm really sorry Nagito, but it's not true. It wouldn't have been better if you'd 'just have died. The only one who thinks you're disgusting is yourself. I respect you so so much, Izuru is fascinated by you, Souda is impressed by your preservearence, Nanami loves hanging out with you and Ammy loves your bellyrubs. Even my freaking mom admires you!" Hajime exclaimed, still holding Nagito in a hug. 

"So don't tell me that it would've been better if you'd just have died."

"You don't know that!" Nagito sobbed.   
"If I were gone, so many people would be better off. Izuru would be able to work on more important and crucial cases, Titus would have finally gotten what he wanted and you. You'd be living a normal life instead of having to deal with someone so messed up and crazy as me!" 

"If you were gone Izuru would be overseas, bored with some same-old same-old homicide case. If you were gone Titus would be free to roam the streets and put other innocent people through what you've just survived. If you were gone I'd be going mindlessly through my daily routine until I either worked myself to death or killed myself becaus emy life was so completely meaningless. That's what would've happened if you were gone." Hajime corrected him, finding it extremely hard to keep the bite out of his voice.   
This was extremely frustrating. Imagine if he'd stuck to talking about jams and left this to when Nagito met a therapist instead. No- he needed to be told how important he was and he'd have this conversation as many times as Nagito needed.

Hearing Hajime sound so impatient scared Nagito a bit, but moreover, hearing him talk about himself possibly committing suicide, chilled him to the bone. He couldn't help it, the physical contact was calming him down, so he grabbed on tightly to the back of Hajime's sweater, as if scared the other would disappear. 

"You wouldn't...I know you wouldn't. You're too strong." He murmured, but it was a weak argument and he knew it. Nagito knew, possibly better than anyone, how good it felt to imagine what it would be like to disappear.

"A-and anyway, you don't know that. You have no way of knowing-"

"And neither have you. But there's one thing that I know for certain and it's that I'm happy to have you by my side." Hajime said, burying his head in Nagitos hair. 

"I don't...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that, I'm sorry." Nagito muttered dejectedly. He was coming to his senses more and more with every second, and he could see how pathetic he'd acted before. Wallowing in self deprecation helped nothing, and moreover he was worrying Hajime. 

"I'm so sorry." 

"No, this is important to talk about. Please don't apologize for bringing it up. Just know that you're important to me, Nagito." Hajime murmured into his neck.   
He took a shivering breath. Let's eat breakfast in bed today? You have quite an emotionally challenging day ahead of you.."

Nagito kept his hands tightly wound in Hajime's T-shirt.  
"Do we have to?" he mumbled against his neck.   
The emotional whirlwind along with the crying had rendered him completely exhausted, and now he wanted nothing more than to indulge himself in human contact for as long as possible.

"Yeah, we do. If you let me go I'll go make some toast and then we can cuddle and eat in the couch. Maybe watch a TV-show." he suggested, rubbing circles on his back. 

"Alright." Nagito muttered, reluctantly letting go of Hajime's shirt and unceremoniously falling back down onto the mattress when Hajime leaned away to break the hug. He landed on his back, hair obscuring most of his face but he was too lazy to fix it so instead opted for gazing up at Hajime through hald closed eyes, trying to psychically impact him into forgetting about breakfast and resuming the hug.

"I'll be back soon." Hajime promised, heaving himself off the futon and heading out to the kitchen. 

Ten minutes later he came back and scooped up Nagito bridal style with a blanket on top and carried him out to the couch where he wrapped him up in aforementioned blanket and wrapped himself around the Nagito-burrito and reached for bread.   
"Say ah."

Nagito had, while Hajime was off making breakfast, managed to calm down. He'd mostly come to terms with the fact that his panicking wasn't his fault, and expected Hajime to want to talk more about it now that he was calmer.

He did not expect for Hajime to come in, act completely different and treat him like an older sibling or parent (Or a doting lover.).   
In any case, after much protesting on his part, he was finally set down on the couch, wrapped in a blanket and leaning against Hajime's chest. He was very comfortable. He was also very embarrassed because not only had Hajime carried him like a lover, he was also now apparently going to feed him. Like a child. Or a- Nope. Definitely not. This was not common among lovers. 

"You have to drink a lot too to get your fluids back in check. Crying is exhausting," he said and reached for a bottle of OJ he'd brought with him and waited for Nagito to finish chewing.   
"Otherwise you're going to get a headache."

Nagito thought about pointing out that he was more than capable of drinking and eating toast by himself. He didn't, for obvious reasons. The orange juice was kind of sweet though, not that Nagito minded terribly. It was nice, and Hajime's chest was warm and comfortable to lie against.

"Do you wanna talk about anything?" He asked, leaning back against the couch with Nagito as a teddybear. "Nothing in particular, I just tend to be really anxious before interviews and it helps sometimes to just talk." 

Nagito shrugged. "I- suppose I should ask what possessed you to literally carry me downstairs. I have gone to physiotherapy now, you know. I can walk." Truthfully, he wasn't all that interested in the answer, but he didn't quite want to admit that he'd enjoyed it so instead of complaining this was the compromise he'd reached.

"Felt like it." he shrugged. "I've told you before how huggable you are, no?" 

Nagito's stomach fluttered. "I suppose you have."  
He leaned back, taking another sip of juice and enjoyed the peace. All his troubles from earlier seemed far away now that the lights were on and Hajime had said he was *huggable.*  
"I didn't dislike it." He admitted quietly, after a beat of silence.

"That's a relief. I was worried you'd hate me." Hajime laughed, relieved as he rested his head on Nagito's shoulder.

"That's stupid." Nagito said. "I could never hate you, Hinata-kun." 

"Wanna bet?" he asked jokingly, digging his fingers into his sides and began tickling him.

Nagito squealed, fighting the blanket and kicking wildly as he tried to escape Hajime's touch. The assault was unyielding, and Hajime's laughter filled the air along with his own breathless protests. "S-stop. Please s-stop." He managed to wheeze amidst the chaos.  
It wasn't that Hajime was doing anything wrong, he told himself sternly. He just couldn't help associating the strange and unwelcome touch with...other things. Other things that he did not want to even think about. The fact that Hajime had him in his lap didn't help either, unfortunate as it was.

"Ah- Sorry, I didn't think ahead-" Hajime said, stopping immediately as Nagito plead for him to stop. 

"I'm sorry I made you uncomfortable." he said, letting his grip on him go but made no effort to move him off his lap. He didn't want it to seem like he was pushing him away.

Nagito fell back onto Hajime's chest, gasping and heaving for air.   
"S-sorry. Sorry. I'll be still next time." He murmured reflexively, unable to stop a shiver running through his body.

"Nono, please don't- it wasn't intended like that!" Hajime said and moved Nagito out of his lap.  
"I'm really sorry Komaeda, I should've thought further ahead, I'm really sorry!" he exclaimed, bowing.

Nagito was jolted back into reality immediately, the last of the fear disappating from his mind at Hajime's sincere rambled apologies.   
"Please-" he said, putting a hand on Hajime's shoulder and pulling him out of his bowing position.   
"Don't do that, please. Don't apologize. .You did nothing wrong"

"-Still, I'm so sorry!" he exclaimed, sitting up again. "That was really stupid of me to do." 

Nagito smiled ruefully. "It's not your fault. It's nobody's fault- not really. It's just the way I am."   
He sat up properly, picking up the piece of toast Hajime'd started feeding him earlier and took a bite pensively. "Come on, you still haven't had any breakfast." 

"True true." Hajime hummed reluctantly and reached over to the coffee table, taking a piece of toast for himself. "So, What's your favorite color?"

Nagito looked up, surprised. "Oh- green. Why do you ask?" He moved a bit closer to Hajime, noticing that the other had deliberately left space between them, and being to shy to point it out straight forward. He quite liked sitting on Hajime's lap though, though arm to arm still worked.

"I just wondered. What about your favorite musician?" He wondered, planning to ask all of the stupid "what's your favorite [blank]because he was not a great conversationalist unless the mood was right.

"I don't really have one. I don't listen to much music, since most modern gives me a headache." Nagito admitted easily. Well, if this was how Hajime was going to play it...  
"What about you? What's your favourite colour?"

"I like white, although some people would argue that white isn't a color." Hajime smiled.

Nagito shrugged. "Well, that seems silly. It's certainly something, and I don't really know what else it could be." 

More questions...He wanted to keep this pleasant conversation going, and now he'd moved so that Hajime's arm was pressed against his own too.   
"Does your hair do that weird spike naturally, or do you style it?" He blurted, before he could stop himself.

"Honestly? At this point I'm not even sure myself. I think it's just the consequences of ever-permanent bedhead and laziness," Hajime chuckled, smiling at Nagito, the tension in the air subsiding.

Nagito gave Hajime's hair a critical look. "Really? Wow. I figured you did something with it. I wonder what would happen if I flicked it..." he muttered, kind of tempted. "would it bounce back?"

"Give it a shot?" he snickered and bent his head down.

To Nagito's immense disappointment, the tuft of hair on Hajime's head did not in fact bounce. It fell down onto his head, only to be revived by Nagito moments later. 

"You didn't look like you without it." He said by way of explaination, using this as an excuse to play with some of Hajime's hair.   
"Well, another victory for science, nonetheless."

"Yay for science!" Hajime cheered, closing his eyes. It felt nice to have Nagito play with his hair.

Sadly, time passed quickly that morning and before they knew it, Nagito and Hajime were pulling on their clothes and getting ready to leave for Nagito's hearing.

Seeing as his mental state was fragile, Hajime had been permitted to sit in during the testimony, though he wasn't to speak and was mostly there to show Nagito he wasn't alone.  
Kind of like a therapy dog, he joked as they left the apartment.   
Nagito chuckled at that, though not even Hajime's reassurances could help against the fear of talking about his experiences. Nagito did his best not to let it show though.

"It's going to go okay. I'll buy you something nice after and then we can cuddle on the couch again. Or maybe go look at dogs in the pet store?" he offered as encouragement as they walked slowly towards the subway. 

Izuru had been too busy to pick them up, so she'd left Hajime to run through what Nagito had to think about during the testimony.

Hajime thought back to his conversation with Izuru and her phone call the night before, reminding him what to mention.  
"Let's see, Izuru gave me a list off stuff to think about. You don't need to answer leading questions, so basically only talk when you're the one deciding what to say, Apparently this is so that they won't twist your words later.   
There's the gay thing, but I don't really think that applies to you, and oh yeah.  
She wanted me to remind you that you're allowed a break whenever you feel overwhelmed or scared. I...wasn't very good at following that rule, as I remember." Hajime said sheepishly.

"I see. Will I be talking alone?" Nagito asked, fumbling with his fingers.

"No- like I said before, I'll be there and Izuru'll be there too." Hajime said. "I'll mostly be there as moral support, Izuru'll be the one actually helping out though."

"Alright. I promise I'll make this as quick as possible so you won't have to miss work for something as pointless as this."   
Nagtio smiled at the ground, his head reeling from the guilt of walking too slow, oh why did he have to be so useless? He'd probably make them miss the subway...

Hajime gave him a worried look.   
"Hey, come on. You know it's not like that at all. I'm doing this because I want to." 

"Of course, Hinata-kun." Nagito flashed him a wide smile. "Thank you for going out of your way like this for me, even though you didn't have to. I appreciate it," he said, sweat beginning to run from the strain of walking as as fast as he could.

Hajime grabbed onto Nagito's arm to halt him. "Hey, don't worry about it. And- could you slow down a bit? I can't keep up." He laughed sheepishly, moving his hand down to grip Nagito's.  
"Come on, it'll be over soon, okay?"

Nagito gave a little nod. Seriously, was Hajime a mind reader? He had to test this theory.  
Do you think I can drink coffee soon again? He thought.

Hajime who was not, in fact, a mind reader spotted the subway station up ahead and pulled Nagito in it's direction.  
"I think we missed rush hour." He said with relief, as much for himself as for Nagito.   
"Good riddance too, the subway is a nightmare in the morning or during lunch."

"Do a lot of people take the subway from this station? We used to avoid subways unless it was bad and he needed an excuse." Nagito reminisced.  
"You can always blame a particularly nasty bruise on a crowded subway."

Hajime's anger flared up again, throwing all the hatred he could muster toward Titus-garbage-human-being-Miller. He didn't want to unsettle Nagito by coming on too strong though, as he'd been prone to do before, so he controlled himself.  
"That's awful Nagito. But- to answer the question, yeah this is a pretty popular stop. It's absolute hell to ride this subway if you do it at the wrong time."

"I don't know how I feel about crowds." he said, thinking back. Sometimes crowds were nice. Nothing too big would happen in a crowd. But then again there were so many people, so many who could see. And would they even care if he did something?  
"I don't think I like them."  
Crowds were often overwhelming.

Hajime figured worried would probably be his standard look from now on. Well, might as well embrace it.

"I figured as much. Well, it's not too bad this time of day, and you're not with him anymore. You're with me, and I won't let anything bad happen to you, okay?"   
Hajime realized how cheesy that sounded the second he closed his mouth, and promply blushed bright red. Oh well, the damage was done.

Nagito was a notable contender in the race of who blushed the most, coming a close second at the moment.  
"Thank you, Hinata-kun, I'm flattered that - I'm flattered."

"I meant it, you know. You don't need to worry." Hajime assured him softly, seeing an opportunity to distract Nagito from worrying a bit and pouncing on it. 

About then Nagito became painfully aware of the fact that they were still holding hands. Out. In the middle of the street.  
He opened his mouth to stutter something but nothing came out and so they managed to make their way into the subway, still holding hands.

The subway ride wasn't that bad. It was nothing like rush hour traffic, and both Hajime and Nagito even managed to grab seats for themselves, which was a huge relief because the subway jerked violently the entire way to the police station.   
The hand holding was a constant throughout, and Hajime noticed Nagito squeeze his hand at multiple times during the trip, usually paranoid that someone was watching them.

Eventually, Hajime began distracting him with stories, recounting that one time that Souda had misread the amount of baking soda in their hot cross buns, causing practically the entire oven to overflow with dough and poppy seeds.   
The time that Nanami got dragged in to spontaniously judge a tournament of some weird card game between two guests was also retold, and Hajime readily admitted that he had no idea what she was talking about when she brought up "converted mana cost", later that day. 

Nagito appreciated Hajime's distractions, the other even managing to draw a laugh out of him at one point and before they knew it they were outside the station and they let go of their hands, Nagito's worry quickly returning.

Hajime cleared his throat a bit awkwardly before they entered, stopping Nagito on the sidewalk outside. "Actually- there was one more thing I should probably mention before the interview."

"Yeah?" he turned to Hajime and gave him his full attention

"Well- uh, Izuru didn't exactly specify this but I thought I should let you know anyway." He began, feeling the awkwardness. So, Much. Awkwardness.

"Basically- she was a bit worried that outsiders might think we're, you know, dating. That I'm a rebound, or something like that. So uh- if you're ask, just deny it, okay?"  
His face was burning. Damn the Japanese police force and their homophobic tendencies.

"What - oh. Okay. You wouldn't be a rebound though, you're much too good for that." Nagito praised shamelessly before they went inside and met up with Izuru.

"Yeah. It's not like I was worried." Hajime muttered, following after him.

Izuru greeted them stoically, introducing the pair to Detective Kirigiri, who she'd been talking to. Hajime recognized the woman, and waved shyly in her direction. She seemed alright from what he remembered of his own testimony, yet the air that she and Izuru gave off was...unmistakable.   
After nodding to Hajime, she turned to Nagito, expecting him to introduce himself.

Nagito gave a little nod as well, unsure whether to go first or just awkwardly exist there.

Kirigiri accepted it, and led them into the same interregation room where Hajime had been, not much longer than a week ago  
. Nagito was taken away briefly to have the die detector explained and attached, Hajime could only hope that the police officers took care not to startle him when they fastned the bands around his wrists since he'd not been allowed to accompany him, and stood awkwardly around Izuru and Kirigiri until they were let into the interrogation room as well.

In the interrogation room Nagito was doing his best not to break down and crawl under the table and pull off the bands as his wrists were being restrained by the lie detector. As he hyperventilated and tried to calm himself down he let out tiny, subtle whimpers between holding his breath.

He was not okay at all.

It only took two to three minutes before a full on flashback was triggered and Nagito curled up, pulling at his wrists and crossed his legs as tightly as he could as he was back and naked in the bathroom, chained to the heater with Titus looming over him with his pants pulled down just above his knees.

As soon as Hajime was allowed to enter the interregation room, he noticed the disaster. The picture of Nagito, handcuffed, naken and bleeding to a radiator entered his mind and his stomach turned.   
How could he not have thought of that?  
He rushed forward, ignoring the detectives and crouched by Nagito's chair so they were about face to face.  
"Nagito? Nagito, it's Hajime, Hajime Hinata. You're safe, nobody can hurt you here, remember? Come on, look at me, please?"

Nagito shook and reluctantly obeyed, pure terror reflecting in his eyes as he shook. "I'm sorry-" he said in a thick voice, half lucid, half completely immersed in the flashback.

"Shh, it's okay. You don't have anything to be sorry about." Hajime soothed, barely able to restrain himself from throwing himself at Nagito and hugging him until he was laughing and joking again. "Nagito, can I touch you? It's okay to say no."

Nagito opened his mouth, confused as he couldn't place the person in front of him as either Titus or Hajime, ending up with a strained whimper and a tiny shake of his head.

"Okay, okay. That's fine." Hajime said softly.   
"Okay, Nagito could you tell me where you are right now?" He desperately tried to recall everything his therapist had told him. Get him something to focus on. Seeing as physical contact was out of the question, that left mental focus.

He gasped for air as he scratched at the wristbands while trying to focus on which was the real reality.  
"Help-" he wheezed, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Hey- hey can I take these off?" Hajime asked, barely throwing a glance at the detectives. Kyoko nodded, and Hajime tore off the cuffs as soon as he could get the clasps open.

Afterward, he left his hands in front of Nagito's on the table, not touching but close enough that Nagito could easily grab them if he wished.  
"There you are, you're safe Nagito. Nothing's going to hurt you here, okay? You're not bring restrained anymore."

Nagito felt like he'd been drowning and had just resurfaced, gasping for air as he dug his fingernails into his arms to ground himself and focus on something he knew was real before he began discerning what was real and what was not.  
"I - 'm at the police station." he rasped, searching for Hajime bewildered.

"Yeah- yeah you are. Do you recognize me, Nagito?" Hajime asked, relieved. Nagito seemed to have calmed down somewhat, and Hajime felt himself relax with that knowledge too.

He gave a small nod, slowly crashing back to reality.   
"Hinata-kun. I'm sorry, I embarrassed everyone, I don't- I shouldn't do this.." he whispered loudly, Izuru talking over with Kirigiri and the others if there were any alternatives to the wristbands.

"No-no no it's okay. It's okay Nagito. It's all okay, you haven't done anything wrong. You have nothing to feel guilty or ashamed about, okay?" Hajime dared to move his hand forward, letting his fingers cover Nagito's gently. "You're okay." He murmured again, soothing.

"I'm sorry, I messed up," he whispered as he leaned over, laying his head in his hands.  
"I'm really sorry."

Hajime moved his hands to Nagito's arms, hoping to give some comfort.   
"You didn't mess up. You're fine, you're okay, nobody blames you for this, okay? You're fantastic Nagito, please trust me when I say that."

"I'm not-- I deserved it all," he whispered quietly, shivers running down his spine.

Hajime spent almost twenty minutes calming Nagito down before they could proceed.

Finally, finally, Hajime thought he could safely say Nagito had calmed down. It had taken a lot of hushing, comforting and soothing but Nagito looked mostly back to normal.

"We need to find an alternative for this," Hajime demanded, holding up the lie detector cuffs. "Otherwise there's no way he'll testify."  
Izuru hummed.  
"There is another model, with only one cuff and bindings around your chest. Would that work better?"

Nagito thought about it for a while before nodding. "I'll be okay. I'm sorry for causing so much trouble," he said mellowly.

"It's no trouble," Hajime said, loudly before any of the detectives had the chance to respond.   
"And-" He lowered his tone, making sure that Nagito was the only one who heard him. "I'm here all the time, okay? Nothing will happen to you- I promised, didn't I? I won't allow it."

Nagito gave a small nod and took a deep breath. He could do this. If he didn't Hajime's efforts would've been a complete waste of time.

Hajime reluctantly got up as Izuru entered with the larger lie detector in hand. Hajime helped her fasten it, hating how Nagito flinched every time he or the cold metal touched his skin.   
"Shh. You're okay." He whispered as he finished the last of the fastening, Nagito squirming uncomfortably in his seat.

Eventually, Nagito was rigged up and relatively calm and they could begin, despite creeping nausea lurking in Nagito's throat.

Detective Houzuki began with the routine questions, asking what color his shirt was and whether he knew Hajime personally.  
Streamlining past the formalities, he jumped straight to the point.  
"Komaeda-san, can you please confirm the nature of your relationship to Titus Miller?"

"We- we were partners," he admitted, not knowing a better way to explain their relationship.   
"I think- he called me his boyfriend and, I guess that's what we were. Now I don't know anymore," he said, looking away from Hajime.

Houzuki nodded. "Is it true that your relationship was of an abusive and power imbalanced nature?" not pulling any punches despite his body language and tone making it known he was less than elated about being assigned this case.

He felt a twinge of pain shooting through his chest as he was forced to come to terms with it.  
"Yes. Per definition, yes," he said after contemplating it for a while, catching sight of Hajime.

He answered with an encouraging smile, as Houzuki continued on. "Could you clarify what you meant by "per definition? "

"I was beaten by Titus. And- and more," he confessed, cutting himself off as his throat tightened up.

Nagito did NOT seem comfortable, and Hajime had had half a mind get to him straight out. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could to save for waiting patiently.  
"I see. Would you perhaps be willing to talk about when you first met Miller-san?

"Yes. We first met when I had just started junior high school. He was a college student, tutoring English." He said quietly.

Houzuki wrote some stuff down, presumably so that he could affirm this information later. "Was that how your--erm, relationship, began?"

"Yes. It was sweet at first, he'd praise me when I did good and when I did something wrong he'd lead me to the answer instead of punishing me. I must've been too annoying to teach though for he soon began berating me when I did something wrong. He still rewarded me if I did something extraordinarily good but he began rewarding me in other ways than simple praise." Nagito said, shuddering.

Hajime felt sick and wanted nothing more than to wrap Nagito in a hug until the proceedings were over and they could go home. He didn't, for obvious reasons, instead simply offering him a smile and trying to seem as encouraging as possible.  
"I see. And this was in junior high, correct? How old were you and Miller at this time?"

"I was fourteen, turning fifteen when we first started. Titus was 20 at the time." He shivered.

Hajime felt sick. How the hell did that disgusting psychopathic maniac even have the right to LIVE? Houzuki looked just as perturbed. "Just to clarify this. How old were you when the pair of you first had sexual intercourse?"

"What do you count as-as sex?" he asked and swallowed hard. "Because there was- there was touching and stuff way before we went all the way," he said, forcing himself to stay calm as treats began falling.

Houzuki winced. "If... If that is true, we will more thoroughly examine it at a later date. For now, I just want to know when the pair of you first had penetrative sexual intercourse, or whatever the equivalent for people like you is."

"When I graduated, so when I was sixteen?" he said, trying to remember how old he was. "It was meant to be celebratory. It just hurts..."

Hajime wanted nothing more than to storm out, straight to the detention center and beat the living daylights out of Nagito's so-called boyfriend.   
HOW was this not ALREADY grounds to arrest him?

Nagito looked incredibly uncomfortable, shifting and straining against the lie detector and avoiding everyone's eyes. He looked so small and afraid.   
"Can I move a bit closer?" Hajime asked the detectives as much as Nagito.  
"I won't do or say anything, I promise, it's just- I don't want him to feel like he's alone. Nagito, would you be alright with that?"

Nagito gave a small nod, hugging himself before he took a deep breath and looked the detective in the eyes as Hajime moved closer.

Hajime moved his chair so that he was sitting by Nagito instead of opposite him, facing the detectives and Izuru. "It's okay. You're safe here." He said when he sat down, trying to sound encouraging.

Houzuki gave them a moment, before continuing on. "Can I freely assume that this... arrangement, continued up until a month ago when Hinata-san took you to the hospital?"

"Yes. But it kept getting worse, I'm surprised he even dealt with me for as long as he did and that he didn't get rid of me before he did." Nagito shivered, Hajime's presence ever so calming.  
"So I don't blame him for going after others."

"Well, we're very glad he didn't." Kyoko butted in. Hajime agreed wholeheartedly but didn't dare speak up in case they thought he was trying to influence the witness.

"Komaeda-san, do you wish to continue, or do you need a break?" Houzuki asked gruffly, apparently just as disturbed by Nagito's words. His right eyebrow twitched again.

"I'd like to continue and get this over with," he said decisively.  
"But if you need a break please say so, I don't want to cause you more trouble than I'm already doing."

"Then we'll continue," Kyoko said, placatingly.

"Did you- during this time- ever try to report or escape your relationship? Before meeting Hinata-san of course." Houzuki continued.

"No. I fantasized about it but I'd never. I didn't deserve it, I wasn't allowed - if I disobeyed and he caught me he'd, he'd try to kill me, not that I wouldn't have deserved it but - I might need that break, I'm sorry." he apologized, gasping for air.

Kirigiri nodded. "Take as much time as you want. We'll wait until you feel ready to continue."  
Hajime pushed aside his loathing and turned to Nagito with what he hoped was a controlled expression. "You're doing really well Nagito. It'll be over soon." He told him encouragingly.

"I don't want to remember." he whimpered and curled up in the chair, pulling up his legs to his chest.

"I know," Hajime said, heart, aching with sympathy.   
"I know you don't. Just remember that nobody here blames you or judges you, okay? You're a victim, and you haven't done anything wrong. And you're amazing for being so brave and talking about it." He rambled, emotions taking the reigns and guiding his words.

Nagito gave him a little nod and took a shaky breath.  
"I'm good, let's continue," he said and uncurled.

"Are you sure? It's okay to calm down some more, you know." Hajime said soothingly. "Don't worry about the detectives, they're getting paid for sitting here anyway."

"Yes, I want this over with." he sniffled, wiping his eyes and pushing down the embarrassment.  
"I'm good to continue."

"Fantastic," Kirigiri said, turning toward them again.   
"Very well, let's continue where we left off, Komaeda-san. I'd like for you to tell me whether your relationship was ever of a non-consensual nature. That is, were you ever forced to partake in anything you didn't want to, despite physical or verbal protesting?"   
This question was more of a formality than anything but still needed to be asked.

"At first, but then he grew tired of me being so annoying so he'd drug me so I'd be still and not complain as much."   
Nagito felt like throwing up. 

Hajime felt like breaking something. Preferably something off glass, so that it would shatter satisfyingly. Actually, screw that. Preferably a body part belonging to Titus fucking Miller.

Houzuki looked just as disturbed, and even Izuru was having trouble keeping her calm.   
"Did you ever tell anyone, or somehow document one of these instances? Anything you remember no matter how small it is may help us here."

"The second time I met Hinata-kun he'd done it again and they did something at the hospital." He said, a small smile spreading onto his face at the mention.   
"Apart from that he always tried to keep me out of the public eye until he deemed me recovered enough." 

"Right. We do have your medical records available, though no conclusive DNA profile was able to be taken from your body." Houzuki confirmed.   
"Apart from that instance, there is nobody else we can talk to corroborate your story? No physical evidence, photographs, movies anything like that?"

"I- I don't know. I think he took photos and videos and shared them but I'm not so sure.. I wasn't in a very lucid state of mind. If he did he must've deleted it." He said, the world spinning.   
"They took photos of my bruises at the hospital too.." 

Houzuki winced. "Alright. We'll check with the hospital again. Now- if you feel up for it- please recount the events of the evening before you met Hinata-san. Since this is the most recent event, it'll be the one we'll be most likely to prove. Spare no details."

Soon it would be over, Hajime told himself. He couldn't wait to take Nagito away and leave all of this behind them, as much as they could anyway.

Nagito took a deep breath and began talking.  
"It was one of his good days, so we'd gone out for coffee at a place he wanted to check out. That's where we met Hinata first and Titus took a liking to him and began flirting. After he'd had his coffee we went home. Titus told me how pretty Hinata-kun was and how nice he sounded and how he'd liked to take him home and- and- yeah."

Hajime recoiled in disgust. "Yeah, like that would ever happen. Fucking creep."

"Then he went on to point out how bad I was in bed and even when I did try I was more use to him as a toy," Nagito told them, this apparently being less jarring than what Titus had said about Hajime.

"Later that night after I'd made him dinner he decided that he wanted sex. He dragged me from my meal and made me throw up because I apparently feel better if I haven't eaten and then he made me swallow the pills. After that, I can't say for sure because it turned fuzzy."

Hajime clenched his fists so hard they hurt. "I'm going to kill that fucking creep." He muttered to himself, momentarily forgetting where he was amidst the emotional storm. 

Houzuki gave him an annoyed look, but before he could comment, Hajime quickly apologized.  
"Come on though!" He said. "This has to be enough! How much more detail do you want?" 

Houzuki sighed loudly.   
"We're just trying to find out what really happened that night. We have to take both Komaeda-san and Miller-san's testimonies into account, and the polygraph test Miller took showed no fluctuations in his tenseness. Furthermore, the profile that we've assembled on him, based on history and impressions does not fit Komaeda-san's descriptions in the slightest."  
"We all want to find the truth here," Kyoko said placatingly. 

"Do you want me to keep going?" Nagito asked in a tiny voice.

"Yes, as long as Hinata-san has calmed down," Houzaki said, with a not so subtle accusing tone.

"Fine. Sorry for interrupting." Hajime snapped and sat back down, wishing more than anything that he could at least reach over and grab Nagito's hand for moral support. One hell of a good job he was doing keeping him safe, he thought bitterly.

"After he made me take the pills he dragged me to the bed where he threw me down and chained me up with the cuffs and stripped me down. I didn't want- I was a bad boyfriend, I didn't want it- he was right, I was a horrible boyfriend, I didn't even want to sleep with him even though- even though he did so much for me, even though he stuck around me when he actually wanted to see others, even though he took care of me when I got panic attacks, I still couldn't even repay him with being a willing participant-" he gasped for air.

Hajime wanted so bad to interrupt, but judging by the detective's temper, he was genuinely afraid of being forced to leave the room. He couldn't do that to Nagito, so he vowed to talk this through with him the moment they were allowed to leave. He would make Nagito understand that he didn't owe that bastard anything. Not under any circumstances. 

This time, however, Izuru was the one to butt in on the conversation. "Komaeda-san, you are not in the wrong here. You have done nothing to warrant calling yourself such things, or feeling guilty. Please, try to think about that."   
She also got an annoyed look from Houzuki but shrugged it off without another look. Besides, he couldn't exactly ask the prosecutor in charge to leave. Hajime counted it as a small win, in any case.

"I didn't want to and I voiced my ungratefulness and he punished me seemingly for it." Nagito swallowed hard, remembering how he'd been beaten, every blow landed being dampened by the haze of the drugs beginning to work. 

Nagito stared emptily out into the air, unresponsive, for a good five minutes before he spoke up again.  
"I felt it all when he pushed in without any preparation. I think I threw up before he came the first time and I passed out. When I woke up Titus was asleep on the couch and I fled- why did I flee? I deserved it, it was my punishment." 

Everyone in the room looked undeniably shaken. Hajime had tears of frustration and pity in his eyes, and nobody commented as he wiped them away. He felt like he could throw up, just imagining a fraction of the horror that Nagito must have gone through. And he'd been with the monster since he was *fourteen.*

In the face of such trauma, Hajime's pathetic grip on his anxiety and his teenage depression were nothing, and he felt sickened by the thought that he'd even tried to compare them.  
"You didn't deserve any of it." He wanted to scream, but it came out as more of a whisper.   
"Nobody, no matter who they are, deserves something like that Nagito."

The fact that he even needed to speak the words, a testament to how much control Titus still held over Nagito, sickened him. He wished more than anything in the world that he could make it better.

"What more do you need me to tell you?" He wondered, looking up emotionless at the policeman.

Houzuki, to his credit, looked uncomfortable as he continued. Hajime wished he'd give in to those feelings and give Nagito a break.  
"I'd like for you to describe the events that occurred after you left Hinata-san's apartment two weeks ago."

"I left to get some fresh air after a panic attack and take a walk. Titus found me and dragged me back to the apartment where he punished me for running away because that's what you do with dogs. Dogs who run away your chain up. So he did. To the heater. I didn't obey though. That was stupid of me. So he threw my head against the heater. I have scars from that. You can feel them here." he said and reached up to touch.

"He blindfolded me after that, said that I shouldn't be such a crybaby and just accept my fate. Then he said that I deserved the pain and I needed to be marked as his so if I ever ran away people would know who I belonged to. He said he was going to break my hips so I'd never been able to run away again. Then he- then he undressed me and jammed up something up there. I don't know what it was but it hurt. It hurt so much. After that, he replaced it with himself and then I think I was saved. I'm unsure. I think I passed out. It was very wet, I don't know if it was him or if I was bleeding. It could've been both. Then he threw my head back down and cut my throat and took the pills himself. I think Hinata was there. Souda too. " he said monotonously, having distanced himself from the incident. 

He was no longer in the scenario. He was just retelling it. It was no longer him or was about.

Hajime felt faint and had to take ahold of the table for support. His head swam, and he felt so nauseous he legitimately worried he might throw up. He couldn't even think, resisting the urge to crawl into himself and hide from all of this with every moment. He hadn't realized it was this bad, he hadn't realized hadn't-

"Hinata-san. Do you wish to leave?" Kirigiri spoke up, worry, shock, and disgust evident in her tone.

Hajime woke up as if a shower of cold water had doused him, looking up wildly. He couldn't leave Nagito--wouldn't.  
"No. I'm not going anywhere. I wouldn't leave for anything." He wheezed, breathing shallowly.

"Hajime, it's better if you don't faint," Izuru said, shock evident in her voice as well.

"Is there anything else you need to know?" Nagito asked Hozukai.

Hajime's vision blurred, though he didn't know if it was with tears or his burning lungs.   
Houzuki spoke up again, disgust evident in his tone.  
"You are absolutely certain that you don't know any kind of physical evidence of any of this? Videos, photos, security camera footage? Anything that we can use as conclusive."

"I don't know. He did share videos of us with his friends. I was never allowed out of the bedroom when he did though. He said he didn't want to share his toy but he had no problem showing it off. He rarely filmed if I were conscious though. Once he gave me a too weak dose and he might've been recording then. He beat me unconscious pretty quickly after I tried to crawl away though, so I might've just imagined it." he told Hozukai. 

"I destroyed all of the physical copies I found of when I was little though. I didn't want his friends to see that. Titus really let me have it for that. Told me I was lucky the internet existed. I was much cuter in the beginning." he shrugged.

Houzuki looked visibly disturbed at this, but sat down his notepad and forced a confident look.  
"We're going to do everything in our power to ensure these recordings are retrieved, and if you're telling the truth, get your abuser the justice he deserves." He said between clenched teeth.

"That is all the questions I have for you, Komaeda-san. I'll call an officer to get you out of the lie detector, and we'll contact you if we need further testimony."

Komaeda gave a small nod and waited, an officer soon coming in as promised and helped him out of it.  
"Can we go home now?"

"Yes," Izuru said simply, offering him a small smile. She stood, walking over to Hajime's chair and put her hand on his shoulder, effectively jolting him back to reality. "We have no reason to linger here." She said pointedly.

Hajime got out of his seat unsteadily, and if not for Izuru's warning the night before, he would have pulled Nagito into a hug already. As it was, he simply offered him a hand to help him get out of his chair.

Nagito got out with much help, his legs feeling like spaghetti. He still felt incredibly dissociative.

"I'm going to help you out, okay?" Hajime said soothingly, bringing one of Nagito's arms to wrap around his body for support. He felt like he was walking on eggshells, scared that anything he did might say or do would trigger a flashback.  
"Is this okay?"

"Mm, yeah. I'm okay." Nagito said, giving him a calm nod. "You have work now, right?"

"I've got the day off," Hajime said. "I've been working too much anyway. And besides, you were gonna help me make jam, right?" He hoped talking about something simple might calm both of them down.

"Right. Jam," he remembered, the two leaving the station after Nagito got a cookie to give him back some energy.

Hajime worried that Nagito had been very quiet since they'd left the station. He supposed it wasn't out of the ordinary, but it was still disconcerting.   
"Hey Nagito, you want to stop and get some sakura mochi on the way back?" He suggested, remembering how Izuru had cheered him up after his testimony.

"I'm good, really," Nagito assured him, still a bit unfocused.

"Uh, okay sure," Hajime said uncertainly. "Do... You want to do anything else before we get home?"

"No, I'm good." he shook his head.

"Right..." Hajime said. "You- do you want to talk about today?" Nagito's placating behavior was really making him uncomfortable. 

"You know that nothing you said will make me treat you any differently, right? I'll still carry you to the sofa if you want." He laughed awkwardly, desperately wanting to fill the silence.

"That's good- I'm sorry, I- feel really out of it and I don't feel like poking that sleeping bear right now," Nagito replied, showing the most emotion he had since his last breakdown.

Oh. Of course. "Oh-okay. That's fine. I guess I should be quiet then, sorry." Hajime said, falling quiet. He was relieved at having gotten more than a two-word response from Nagito, though his Flat tone still worried him. Still, maybe he just needed time to process.

Nagito remained quiet and apathetic for the entirety of their way home, even during their quick stop at the store for berries. He remained fairly quiet until the red jam began to boil.   
That's when he began coming back, everything beginning with a shaky hand, everything quickly escalating to him curling up on the floor, pulling at his hair and screaming in panic.

Hajime, who had been measuring sugar and hadn't noticed Nagito before his breakdown, dropped the measuring cup he'd held in surprise. "Nagito? Nagito- what's going on?" He asked, afraid Nagito had fallen right into another flashback or possibly even hurt himself.

He fell to his knees in front of the other, wanting to grab onto his hands and stop him from hurting himself but not daring.  
"Hey- hey you're safe, you're okay, everything is fine, okay?" He said hurriedly, trying to calm him down.

Nagito was surprisingly forward, quickly grabbing at Hajime and pulling him in as a human shield from the world as he hyperventilated and screamed in terror of his own head and past, needing the comfort of the one person in the world he trusted. 

Hajime, not used to Nagito being so forward, took a few moments to respond. When he'd gathered his bearings, he wrapped his arms around Nagito and leaned his head against his neck. He listened to Nagito scream and cry, shushing him and speaking soothingly whenever his voice broke or grew hoarse.

"It's okay, you're alright, you're safe now. He can't hurt you anymore, I've got you. You're safe." He mumbled, words slurring as his emotions ran wild with pity and sorrow.

"I- I was just a kid!" Nagito wailed, fingers digging into Hajime's shirt.  
"I was just a kid- he- he was twenty! He was supposed to- to- to teach me English!" he sobbed, barely intelligible. 

"He filmed it- he-"   
He felt like he was going to throw up.

"I know. I know--Nagito you didn't deserve any of that. That--that--that pedophilic disgusting unlovable asshole is going to rot in hell until the end of the world for what he did to you. You didn't deserve any of it, and I Swear we are going to find and delete all of those movies as soon as he's locked away forever. "  
Hajime said against his neck, seething with rage at the mere thought of what Nagito had said during his testimony. His grip on Nagito tightened without him realizing it, as though the other might somehow disappear if he didn't hold onto him.

Nagito sobbed in terror, clinging desperately to Hajime like a terrified little child to his mother, going over every memory he'd had to relive in his head, the terror he'd felt in those moments resonating through his screams as cried into Hajime's chest in the corner of the kitchen as raspberry jam bubbled on the stove and Hajime whispered promises of safety to him. 

Eventually, Nagito cried himself out. He lay, panting and shaken, half draped over Hajime's lap, as Hajime held him upright and whispered to him how it all would be all right, how he was free now and Titus would never get to hurt him again. He didn't really know what else to do. Part of him wanted to ask what had happened, but he didn't want to, as Nagito had put it, wake a sleeping bear, so he just sat on the kitchen floor gently rocking back and forth and waiting for Nagito to make a move.

After his breakdown, Nagito was exhausted, almost asleep in Hajime's lap. He felt surprisingly safe despite the circumstances, the scent of the half-finished raspberry jam thick in the air as he slowly breathed, eyes half-lidded. 

Hajime pet his hair with one hand, the other one wrapped around Nagito's back. He'd fallen silent now, seeing as the whispering had begun to make his throat a bit sore. He lamented the jam though, which was probably going to be hard as rock, but he wasn't getting up to fix it. He had Nagito to take care of.

"Thank you, Hinata-kun." He murmured solemnly, head buried in his lap, body feeling like it was made out of cement. The day had truly been emotionally draining.

"Hey- Nagito? You can call me Hajime if you want." Hajime said, pushing some pale hair out of Nagito's face. "I mean--if you want to. I just think it'd be nice."

"It would." he agreed, closing his eyes, beginning to doze off. "I'm sorry.."

Hajime chuckled. "Now, why are you apologizing? It's all completely fine. You don't have anything to be sorry about, nothing at all."

"Your jam is probably burnt. And I'm mooching off of you without paying rent or anything, and I made you listen to that horror story of a childhood.." he murmured. 

"Hey- I meant it. Nothing's your fault. And if the jam comes out a little firm, well that's no big deal. And-" Hajime tightened his grip around Nagito's fragile form.   
"You are NOT the one who should be apologizing for your childhood Nagito. Never. Don't even think about it."

"I- Thank you, Hajime. It feels nice to hear you say that." He said softly and looked up at him with a soft and grateful gaze. "You're hoarse." 

Hajime cleared his throat.  
"Yeah- I suppose I am. Don't worry about It- it's just from all the whispering. My throat didn't exactly appreciate it. Moreover- I like hearing you say my name." He said honestly, shifting slightly to sit in a more comfortable position. One of his legs had fallen asleep.

"I like calling out your name," the tired Nagito boldly blurted out.

Hajime laughed. "That's good." He hoisted Nagito up so that he was sitting, with the assistance of course. 

"How do you feel about moving off the kitchen floor and onto the couch?" He asked, squirming a bit on the uncomfortable ground. His back was starting to protest against sitting without backrest too.

"I'd be more than willing," he said, still comfortable, leaning on Hajime's shoulder. 

With that, Hajime got up on his knees, lifting Nagito's light body with relative ease and hoisting him up into bridal carry for the second time that day.   
They moved to the couch, where Hajime sat Nagito down by the blankets they'd used that morning. He wrapped one around Nagito, who still looked barely lucid enough to move, and then briefly left to make sure the jam didn't turn into literal jelly.

He found that there would be strawberry lumps in the jelly-jam hybrid, but that didn't really matter. Nagito had calmed down, that was the important thing. Moving the pot off the heat and shutting off the stove, he then quickly rejoined Nagito at the couch, sitting down by him and leaning back gratefully against the soft pillows. "Any room for me under that blanket?" He asked teasingly.

"I could make some for you," he said tiredly with a small smile on his face as he opened up his blanket for Hajime to crawl in, sniffling.

Hajime crawled in under the blanked eagerly, letting out a sigh of relief as he stretched his legs.   
"The jam is going to sit for another hour, so we've got plenty of time to do whatever you want. You want to put on a movie or something?" 

"I wouldn't mind." he hummed, laying his head on his shoulder.

Hajime realized he'd have to get up to get the remote and suddenly felt a whole lot less inclined to do that. He did, however, after practically laying down across Nagito's lap to reach, manage to snag it without having to.   
Grunting as he got up and leaned back against the couch, Hajime flipped through channels absentmindedly, looking for something good to see. He skipped past a crime drama and some cartoons, before letting the TV play on some kind of weird animal documentary.   
"So- how are you feeling now?" He asked, turning to Nagito. "You dehydrated at all? I could get you something to drink."

"I probably need to drink something but it can wait." he murmured, comfortable in his little corner of the couch, cuddled up against Hajime.

"Okay if you say so." Hajime said, not really that hyped on getting up either. He yawned, rubbing at his eyes. The day's emotional turmoil seemed to have taken its toll on him as well. Still, Hajime's cheek was pressed onto Nagito's hair and he could feel the other's breathing and warmth against his side.

Hajime felt calm.


	14. Quick little pop in

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quick author's note!

We're not dead and neither is this story!  
We've had a lot of stuff to do in school but things are starting to clear up on our schedule now, so expect an update pretty soon!


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You've been very patient folks, thanks for waiting! We always get super excited to hear from you guys in the comments!
> 
> (Also, warning, there are homophobic slurs used in this chapter. Though that's far from the darkest shit we've written in this fic tbh.)

The two soon dozed off watching a documentary on puppies and after the two had rested up and regained some energy Nagito woke up, severely depressed.  
Hajime, on the other hand, having recharged noticed it quite quickly and managed to pull him out of it with soft coos of appreciation and soon managed to get Nagito out of his rut and drinking a cup of tea while he dug through the boardgames he had.  
"How about cards?" he asked from the shelf.

Nagito shrugged. "I hardly know any games with cards, and I have been told I'm not very fun to play with. I wouldn't mind if you wanted to play, though." 

"Alright, I'll put that in the maybe-pile then. How about who knows most?" he asked, going through to the next game.

Nagito stretched his neck to see the box. "That's a trivia game, right? I've never played, but if you want to, let's do it." He reluctantly put down his hot cup of tea, leaning over the back of his chair, watching Hajime.

"It might be a little intense to play right now. My brain still feels like mush. Ooh! How about Monopoly?" He asked, coming across the box.

Finally, a game that Nagito recognized. "I think we used to have a monopoly at home. It's been a while since I played though, so you might have to remind me of some of the rules." 

"Let's play monopoly then." He smiled and returned with the boardgame and began unpacking it. "First you choose your character," he said, taking out the board and placed it on the coffee table."

Picking through the small, metal figurines, Nagito ended up choosing a small metal dog. "It's cute." He commented, holding the piece up to examine it.   
"I'm going to achieve monopoly of this town, and it will be owned by a small puppy." 

"Heh, I'd like to see you try. Can your dog really beat my wheelbarrow?" He snickered and chose his own figure. "Now for the money.." he said, quickly browsing through the manual and handed out the fake money as the instructions said. "And now you, Nagito, may roll the dice, to see if you get to star." 

Unsurprisingly, Nagito rolled the highest number. "I've always been sort of lucky with dice." He said, by way of explanation, as he rolled again and moved his puppy six steps forward.  
Two sixes in a row was a bit ridiculous though, even for him.   
"See- I'm already ahead of you." He said teasingly, smirking at Hajime over the board.

"Damnit. I guess I'll just have to buy everything I can get my hands on then," he huffed, watching Nagito round the board and end up on the first buy-able lot.

"Hm. My puppy and I will beat you, and leave you in the dust." Nagito said with faux confidence, handing Hajime the cash to buy his first lot. He meticulously placed the house in the middle of the assigned white rectangle.

And of course, when Hajime finally got to roll his first turn, he ended up on Nagito's lot. "Are you kidding me? This is almost like playing against Izuru!" he exclaimed, handing over the money to Nagito. 

Nagito giggled. "Of course. My dog and I are unstoppable, you know." Something Hajime's said had piqued his interest though.  
"You used to play this with Izuru? That must have been...intense."

"Oh, believe me, it was. She'd play me right in her hand. The only one I've ever won at monopoly against was my mom. And once over Izuru when my entire family ganged up on her." He said and passed Nagito the dice.

"She can't have liked that," Nagito commented, rolling a four and deciding to buy another lot. "I...think my dad liked this game? We used to play after I got back from school if I recall. Whenever he wasn't busy with work, which was most days."

"That's nice. Did you ever play with your entire family?" he wondered.

"I think so. Sometimes. My mother wasn't home very often though. She was president of a company, so she worked really late. It was during a work-trip of hers that they...that they crashed." Nagito said, effectively souring the mood. He realized it too, feeling bad and handing the die to Hajime. "Here, it's your turn. That doesn't matter anyway."

"Well, I'm sorry for your loss, including the loss of this game!" He said and kissed the die before rolling it, managing to end up in front of Nagito and bought his first lot.

Nagito couldn't help a small laugh. Way to go Hajime, joke all of his bad feelings away.  
"Oh no- what shall I do?" He asked in mock despair. "Actually, I know what I'm going to do. I'm going to buy this park." He rolled the dice again, moving three steps forward and passing Hajime with just one step, buying the lot immediately in front of him.

"Damnit! How- How do you keep doing that?" He asked in feigned anguish.

"I've got the power of puppies on my side!" Nagito said, amidst furious giggling. "Don't you see Hajime? I'm unstoppable!" 

"Unspupable." He joked, stealing the die away from Nagito.

"Don't think that bad jokes will save you!" Nagito said, following Hajime's roll carefully. He was getting more and more wrapped up in the game, and he once again commended Hajime's ability to make him temporarily forget about everything horrible. 

"Dude! This is insane, you should totally face off Izuru in this because this is just ridiculous!" he exclaimed as he one turn later got to pay Nagito again.

"I doubt she'd want- or have time- to spend time with someone like me." Nagito laughed, mixing Hajime's money in with his own and snatching the die from the table.

"Psh, she loves you." he shrugged. "She's just a bit hard to read."

"I doubt that," Nagito said cheerily, moving his piece two steps forward. He landed on a chance square, and picked up a card which allowed him to cash in another bill of 50. 

"You're kidding, right?" Hajime pouted before landing on the draw card as well, evidently going to jail after that.

Nagito chuckled as he rolled. "You're having terrible luck today, Hajime." He moved his dog one space forward and bought the lot, hoping to trap Hajime when he got out of jail. "That's really too bad."

"Bail me out man!" He begged, not wanting to lose even more money. The way things were going Nagito would win the next five rounds.

Nagito shrugged. "I can't really do that, unfortunately. I don't have a get out of jail card. You'll have to rot in there for another two turns, I'm afraid." 

"Nooooo." Hajime whined, but waited patiently regardless.

Nagito got 10 squares ahead, but decided to give Hajime a break by quelling his buying spree for a while. Instead, he collected some mouey from yet another ? until Hajime was allowed on the board again.  
"There, welcome back to the world of the living Hajime." He said as Hajime moved his piece out of jail. "Tell me, was jail food better or worse than the hospital food?"

"Worse, way worse. I'd even go as far as to say your got lucky." he chuckled and rolled the dice, finally getting a little wind in his sails and he managed to buy a lot.

"Oh? Well let's hope I don't-" Before Nagito even finished his sentence, the? tile he landed on earned him a jail card.  
"Speak of the devil." He said, reading it disgruntedly. "Such bad luck. Well, I suppose you have some time to catch up now, Hajime. Let's hope your luck has turned, hm?"

"Cross my heart." he said, rolling out his luck, managing to snatched two of the more expensive lots before almost going broke and had to hold back on his spending spree.

Nagito, meanwhile, studied his game piece with worry. "My poor- cute dog isn't cut out for this rough life." He said, gesturing to the cartoonish depiction of a prisoner on the tile.  
"He needs to be saved before anything terrible happens, don't you agree Hajime? The world truly is a cruel place sometimes."

"Unfortunately I do not have money to bail you out." Hajime grinned evilly, definitely having enough to pay bail. Instead, he passed go and earned more money.

Nagito was let out of jail next turn and narrowly avoided stopping on one if Hajime's properties. "Ah- the sweet taste of freedom!" He said as he stepped out of the jail, cliché but still amusing him greatly.

Hajime snickered. "Welcome back puppy. The world missed you."

Nagito laughed, pushing some hair out of his face. "Puppy missed the world too."He assured, and then proceeded to get another 100 from a chance tile. His fortune really was turning."Just wait for ut Hajime. I'll reclaim my former greatness." He boasted playfully.

"Times have changed little puppy. For Hajime Hinata has conquered the expensive lots. I welcome you to the white collar workers' condos!" he laughed evilly before having to pay Nagito tax.

"You're far too confident, for someone who only has 50 left." Nagito pointed out. "You'll die a death of a thousand cuts, mark my words." As if to prove his point, Hajime stepped on one of Nagito's properties, now having to pay 20, bringing his total down to under 50 while Nagito still had well over 1000 left.

"You're cheating. I don't know how but you are." Hajime concluded promptly.

"I assure you, I am not Hajime." Nagito moved forward two steps on the board. "Moreover, I didn't see you as a competitive person. I see now that I'll have to change that perception."

"I bet you bribed lady luck." he pouted. "Or you charmed her with your pretty face so she favors you over me."

Nagito laughed. "Well- I don't think you need to worry about that. My face couldn't possibly charm anyone after all." Hajime pouted as he rolled his die, but his expression quickly changed into triumph as he got to cash 20 from a chance card. Nagito didn't even mind. His intense way of playing was too cute.

"Hah! I still have a shot at saving this town from the merciless puppy!" he exclaimed.

"Don't get too cocky," Nagito said cheerily, buying a property just before Hajime's expensive ones. Hajime's almost comically affronted expression made him vow to rile the other up as much as possible. His reactions were gold.

"I knew it, you are cheating!" he exclaimed accusatory. 

"Hm? What makes you say that?" Nagito said innocently, looking up at Hajime curiously. 

"There's no way one's that good at freaking monopoly!" he huffed but rolled his dice again and got the "pass go" card and raked in an extra 200.

Nagito shrugged. "I did say most people didn't like playing games with me, didn't I? I simply have uncanny luck, that's all." He too passed go, stopping just one space ahead of Hajime and landing on his first taxed spot. With an amicable smile, he handed a 20 bill over the table.

"Told you, you charmed lady luck with your cute cloud-head." he huffed, grinning cockily as he added the 20 from Nagito to his pile.

The fact that Hajime had called him cute twice in as many minutes did not go unnoticed by Nagito, though he didn't comment on it. It was probably something Hajime told all of his friends, like how girls sometimes told each other they were beautiful or held hands. Yeah.   
Besides, he had a game of monopoly to win, and that 20 bill was quickly rewon when Hajime stepped on one of Nagito's properties only moments later.

"Please let me roll a 1 next turn," Hajime begged the die, wanting to buy the lot next to Nagito's so that he could take over the building next time he landed here.

The two played and as suddenly as lightning strikes Nagito's luck turned and managed to end up on Hajime's lots, ended up in jail twice and after a quick game and a rising suspicion that Nagito was doing this on purpose Hajime won. That didn't make his victory any less sweet and as Nagito handed over his last twenty to Hajime he exclaimed in joy.  
"Yes! The world is safe from Puppy's dictatorship once again!" 

Nagito hid his smile, more than content to watch Hajime gloat in his victory, as he put the figurines back in the box. "So it is. Well done, Hajime. You're a true hero." He put the lid back on and got up to put the monopoly box back on its shelf, ignoring his body's protesting against moving after the rollercoaster he'd already survived that day. He was too content to worry about that.

"I'm still certain that you cheated, but that just magnifies my glory!" he grinned proudly. "Good game?"

"Certainly, it was." Nagito agreed. "I haven't done anything like this in a long time, it was very nice. " He smiled, a bit ruefully. "You're showing me a lot of things for the first time, Hajime. Thank you."

"I'm glad you enjoyed getting your ass kicked at monopoly." he snickered.

Nagito laughed. "Don't get too cocky. I almost won- you know." He leaned against the table, having returned from putting away the game. "Well--since you won I suppose it's only fair that you decide what we should do now."

"I wanna do something we'll both enjoy," Hajime said and got up. "Any suggestions?"

Nagito joined him apprehensively. "I'd want to do anything you choose though." He said uncertainly. "I don't have any ideas, and besides, you need some reward to match the excitement you seem to feel over winning."

"I won, that's enough of a reward for me. Maybe a hug." He hummed, packing together the monopoly.

Nagito flushed, unable to think of a response to that. He picked up the board and folded it, hiding his red cheeks as he got his bearings. Something about Hajime calling him cute twice in one day, and then asking him for a hug made his stomach flutter.  
"Uh-sure. That can be arranged."

"Lucky me." he grinned, happily lidding the box once everything was back in it.

Nagito snatched the box from him, getting up as using it as an excuse to get away from there for a few moments and regain his footing. He shelved the box under Who Knows Most, before returning and hovering awkwardly by the door.  
Not knowing whether Hajime wanted him to join him at the table, move to the couch or somewhere else made him uneasy.  
"I'm just gonna go to the bathroom real quick, okay?" Nagito said and excused himself to collect his thoughts.

\---

It had been two days since Kazuichi Souda literally crashed into Gundham's life now. Things were finally getting back to normal. Gundham was able to look at his empty dinner table without seeing Kazuichi there, winking and saying "I'd like to get to know you better."  
He'd all but convinced himself Kazuichi was a dream, if not for the fact that his sheets still smelled of colounge and oil.

Still, Gundham liked to think he had a better grasp of the situation now. He could approach it level headedly and objectively, he knew that any kind of relationship with Kazuichi after their Rocky start would be-

His phone rang. Kazuichi's picture (a selfie which he'd taken as he was adding his number) displayed proudly, as if mocking Gundham's "control". Because hit answer as soon as he got his phone open, and when he answered he was breathing shallowly. Level headed- my ass.

"Hi, it's So- Kazuichi. I was wondering if you wanted to do something? Today or tonight, if you're not busy?" he asked.

Gundham didn't know whether the universe was doing him a favor or not. He'd promised The Angel that he'd look over some dogs from a kennel that they knew. The owner had called in a panic, and the Demon had made certain Gundham took the task upon himself.  
"I- regret to say I am busy this afternoon. I have been tasked with looking after the familiars of a friend of the Angel." He said into the phone, expecting Kazuichi to either be weirded out or give up.

"Oh- okay. What animal?" Souda asked dejectedly.

"I believe you mortals refer to them as dogs." Gundham said. He had now decided the universe was doing him no favours. Kazuichi sounded so disappointed he felt bad for even thinking it might be a blessing.

"Dogs are cute! You were puppy-sitting, right? Maybe you'd want some company?" He suggested. Dogs he could do. Dogs were cool.

Gundham quieted. He hadn't considered that. Did he want Kazuichi's company? Yes, his mind supplied. You totally do.  
"I suppose... I wouldn't mind your company, Souda-san." He said stiffly at last, uncomfortable talking to someone he so barely knew.  
Still, Sonia was always telling him he needed more friends. If anything, this would show her.

"Then should we meet somewhere? If so when and where?" he asked, feeling like he swallowed a storm of butterflies.

"Well, do you remember how to get to my place of residence?" Gundham asked uncertainly. "It's where The Angel's compatriot will leave the familiars, though if you'd rather go somewhere else I can easily oblige."

"So, your place? I'll be there!" he chirped brightly. "What breed is it?"

"It is a white pomeranian- fairly small cretin at that. It has just become old enough for adoption, so it needs to learn to be away from its mother for a while." Gundham explained eagerly, happy to change the subject to something he knew.

"That sounds adorable!" Souda exclaimed. "When can I come over?" he asked, basically bouncing.

Gundham chuckled. "The creature will be brought to me in an hour. If you want to meet it, I suggest you be here then. I trust you remember the way?"

"Yeah, I got it," Souda said confidently. "Maybe give me the address just in case though?"

Gundham rattled off the address and exchanged see-you-later's with Souda. Then he resisted the urge to bang his head against the wall, annoyed with himself. Well--he supposed there wasn't anything to do but tidy up the apartment and wait for Kazuichi to yet again, crash right into Gundham's normal life.

Souda got the address and scribbled it down before taking 30 minutes to make himself presentable before he set off to Gundham, stopping by a pet store to buy him a gift of a little chewing stick for his hamsters before arriving, 20 minutes before the puppy.

Gundham had, at that point, cleaned the apartment a bit and dressed in something a bit more refined than the t-shirt and shorts from before.  
He opened the door a bit apprehensively, heart jumping as Kazuichi's cheerful smile met his own. He might have blushed, he didn't really know. "Erm- Hello. Please come in." He said awkwardly, moving away from the door and hovering as Kazuichi began to shrug off his jacket.

"Hello! I brought you a gift." He grinned, stepped inside, kicked off his shoes, and gave Gundham the little gift bag. "I didn't know what brand of pet food your beasts prefer so I just asked the lady in the store what things hamsters need and she recommended that." 

Gundham took the bag gingerly, opening it and taking out the chewing stick. He was familiar with that brand, and it was good quality. His Four Dark Devas Of Destruction would love it, no doubt. Gundham's chest warmed as he put the stick back in the bag.   
"This is...I am sure my Dark Devas will love it. You have my sincere gratitude, Souda-san."

"I'm glad you like it, I wanted to get you something too, but I was unsure what to get you," Souda said with a small smile. "Tell me about yourself?"

Gundham put the box down, reminding himself to bring it up to his Devas later. " You most certainly do not need to concern yourself. I am grateful for your offering. As for your second inquiry, I...am not sure I can accurately answer that. What do you wish to know?"

"I don't know, like maybe what kinds of books you read, hobbies and such?" He asked, inviting himself inside.  
"Wait are your ears pierced?"  
"God, that's hot. Are you planning on getting any more piercings, I have one in my tongue, but you were probably already aware of that."

Gundham shrugged, perplexed. "I...Am quite the fan of horror material, an influence from a good friend of mine. We've both had quite the fascination with the macabre since we were young. As for hobbies- I enjoy taking care of my familiars. I haven't had the opportunity to try many other things, truth be told."   
At Souda's comment, he brought a hand up to his indeed pierced ear, blushing slightly.  
"Indeed. I... am pleased you like it."

"It looks really cool. It suits you." he grinned, making a mental note that he should probably start working on his fear for the occult if this was going to work out. But hey, at least he was living the dream of getting a goth girlfriend with big tiddies just... genderbent. And instead of big- hm. Yeah. 

Gundham coughed a bit, uncomfortable with so much attention being focused on him. "What about you?" He asked, leading Kazuichi into the living room. "What dark passions does one such as yourself possess?"

"I really like motors and stuff like that. And sweet stuff," he said. "My dad owned a bike shop which I grew up working in, so it's always been a hobby of mine." 

"I see. You and I seem to be quite different." Gundham said thoughtfully. "It is an admirable interest though. Metal beasts can truly be ferocious creatures."

"Not really. But we're similar in a lot of ways too. Humans can be really hard to get sometimes but with machines, it's much simpler. They either work or they don't. It's all logical." he hummed.

"I see," Gundham said with interest. "Familiars behave in the same way, I find. If you show them kindness and loyalty, they will grant you the same in return. On the other hand, if you are cruel to your familiars they will grow to scorn you. They are much simpler than humans, in that regard."  
Humans were strange. They could easily despise another on no grounds whatsoever, or judge people without merit. Beasts possessed no such desires, Gundham had found and therefore preferred their presence to humans.

"I could see that. How many dogs are coming?" He wondered.

"Five beasts in total. They are very serene creatures, for the most part." Gundham-who was used to working with animals with much more stamina and energy than puppies- said without batting an eye.

"Weren't they puppies? What's so serene about puppies?" he asked, majorly confused.

"Well, their demeanor is calm. Don't worry, they shall surely take a liking to you." Gundham said easily. "You have caught the attention of one as powerful as myself, after all. Lowly familiars will surely be blown away."

"Heh. Let's hope so." Souda grinned, ears and cheeks matching his hair.

"Have you had any previous bonds to such creatures?" Gundham asked after a moment of silence.

"Dogs? Yeah. I used to feed a stray back when I was a kid. But that's about it," he chuckled.

Gundham liked the mental image that painted, and he couldn't quite suppress a smile at the thought. "How admirable." He commented distractedly.

"A title? A name?" he asked, confused but trying.  
"I called her Lucky."  
"It was lucky Luke at first, after the comic, but you can't really name a female dog Luke."

Gundham chuckled at that. "I am sure the beast appreciated it. Moreover- having forged such a bond must mean you are something special. Perhaps even worthy of something like being a Singularity."  
He realized what he'd said and quickly shut up before he could divulge any more.

Before the conversation could proceed, they were interrupted by a knock on the door. Outside was a teenage boy with a green hoodie and ruffled, brown hair. He held the dogs on leashes, seemingly having some problems with keeping them in check though that stopped when Gundham opened up. "Hey man- thank you so much for offering to sit them." He said apologetically, rubbing his neck and shuffling a bit awkwardly.  
Gundham wasn't exactly surprised. Few mortals were comfortable around him, to begin with.

"Oh my god! They're adorable!" Souda exclaimed as he caught sight of the bundle of fluffy, tiny puppies

"Uh-yeah. They're a handful though." the boy laughed, seemingly over the initial shock of seeing Gundham.   
"I'm Makoto Naegi, by the way. My parents run the adoption center." He said reaching out his hand for a handshake. Gundham didn't make any move to shake his hand but nodded in his direction. "I'm Gundham Tanaka. Do not fear, your familiars will be more than safe with me. I have wrestled with much more ferocious beasts."

"Yeah, he's great with animals, all kinds of them. Even scorpions!" Souda piped in. "It's insane."

Makoto let his hall fall, uncertain. Still, he handed the five leashes to Gundham. "Uh- sure man. I'm sure you're great. Anyway- I'm gonna head out-"

The boy left, kind of awkwardly, as Gundham shut the door behind him and ushered the puppies inside. "Let us move to the sitting area, and let these beasts run free." He suggested, seeing how excited Kazuichi already looked. "Do you wish to hold one?"

"Can I?" He asked excitedly, already enamored with the little balls of fluff.

Gundham couldn't help laughing at his excitement. "Of course. Here-" he held out a leash for Kazuichi to take. "How about you take this one?"

He nodded vigorously, happily taking the leash and brushing against Gundham's hand, his heart fluttering 

Gundham recoiled as if he'd been burnt, nearly dropping the four other leashes in the process. His heart pounded, and he was afraid he'd ruined the moment and didn't know what to say if Souda asked.  
Yeah, my dad just beat me when I was a kid and now I have an aversion to touching. Now let's go back to our date!  
It didn't exactly sound convincing.

Souda's heart dropped. It was a bit awkward between them, sure, but he didn't want it to be that awkward, I mean, it would get better later, right? What if it didn't? Maybe this was just something he wanted?   
"Sorry, I-" 

"No. The fault is mine. I just-" Gundham's mind raced for a way to explain away his behavior. Anything. He didn't want to lose Kazuichi's trust.  
"I- my skin is poison. It drains the life force of anyone who should come in contact, thus your life would end in an instant if you touched me carelessly. Therefore, I am protecting you." He said, feigning confidence.

"What? Dude, we literally had sex- if your touch was poison I'd be long gone, but I'm not, see? Your skin is fine." He assured him.

Gundham remained unconvinced. "That was probably a fluke." He said dismissively. "In any case, my curse is such that so mortal can withstand touching my bare flesh, lest they combust where they stand. I would really rather you didn't, Souda, so please don't test the will of causality so flippantly."  
His dread rose with every word. Not only was he doing the very thing that Souda had criticized during their first argument, but he also wasn't providing a good explanation. His terminology only worked with people who could suspend their disbelief, like Sonia, or had learned not to question it, like his coworker Hana at the pet store. He didn't yet know where Kazuichi was on that spectrum.

"Awe, you care about me." He chuckled and crouched down to let the puppy sniff his hand.

"I...should think that is obvious," Gundham said, embarrassed. "In any case, let us proceed to the living room, and allow the beasts to be freed from these tethers." He stalked ahead, determined to keep from blushing.

The puppy gave Souda a careful sniff before he was allowed to touch and scooped the ball of fluff up. "It's so soft!"

Gundham, unfastening the lock on the final leash, looked up and smiled at the sight of Kazuichi hugging the small beast. Adorable, he decreed.

He sat down on the floor by the dogs, speaking in a soft voice as he Pet and played with them a bit, making sure they knew how to behave. The feeling of petting through fluffy fur was calming, and soon Gundham had forgotten all about the mishap with Souda.

"They're so sweet." Souda squealed, snuggling into the puppy's fur.

"They are indeed. These beasts, in particular, are masters of manipulation, catering to the human need to protect weaker things, and adapting their appearance." Gundham said sagely, rubbing one of the pup's bellies as it panted in joy.   
All in all, there were five puppies. One pure white, two spotted and two darker brown, both of which Souda was currently petting. The darker ones were the youngest, not yet old enough to be adopted.

"I see. Clever little clouds, are you?" he cooed at the puppies.

Gundham hummed in response, ruffling the white one, which he'd already mentally dubbed as The Specter,'s fur. "These kinds of familiars, the ones you humans call "dogs" are the most loyal and affectionate beasts. If you give one a bone, they'll worship you until the demon realm itself freezes." He studied as Souda scratched behind "The Sapling's" ears. His elated grin and attitude were infectious.

"What about ducks? Aren't they super attached if they imprint on you?" Souda asked, falling back into his back and placed the puppy on his chest.

Gundham looked over, surprised. "For one that is unbound, you are surprisingly knowledgable on this world's beasts, Souda-san."  
He moved over, sitting by Souda's chest where he was lying n the ground. "Nevertheless, even the impressive devotion of the feathered beast pales in comparison to the loyalty of these familiars." He scratched The Untainted One behind its ears, making the puppy sink down onto his lap, content. 

"Perhaps you have heard the story of Hachiko? The loyal familiar who waited for his dead owner by the train station. every day until the day he died?"

"Oh! I saw the movie! I cried so hard." Souda exclaimed, getting a little affectionate nip.

"Indeed." Gundham nodded sagely. He too had cried tears of sympathy for the poor creature when he'd watched it with Sonia a few years back. "It is quite the harrowing tale. Though, it is also a testament to the innate power of such familiars, wouldn't you say?" As if emphasizing his words, The Spectral One came over and laid his head on Souda's chest, and The Untainted One yawned pleasedly.

"Yeah. Dogs are great. Go dogs!" he cheered softly, a warm smile plastered on his face as he was buried in puppy-fluff.

Gundham smiled. Souda's excited comments and sunny demeanor made him look not a whole lot different from the familiars, in his opinion. He was reminded once again why he'd revisited HOPE'S Coffee for all those weeks, despite the fact that there was a café closer by the Pet Shop.   
"Of course. All of you are worth cheering." Gundham said, pleased.

They laid there for a while, just casually chilling with the puppies and chatted about everything and nothing before Gundham noticed that the puppies may need walking.

He got up blearily, making The Spectral One jump off his chest. "I believe the familiars would be benefited greatly by a bit of exercise." He commented, noting the rough way the puppies were playing with each other. "Would you care to join us, Souda?"

"I'd love to," he said, heaving himself off the floor while still holding the small white puppy.

"You may have the leash for The Untainted One, if you wish," Gundham said, handing it to Souda as he busied himself with leashing the other dogs. "Now, be patient you cretins." He murmured, running his hands through their fur as he fastened the leashes. "We shall soon depart, and you may run free among nature once again. Do not despair, little ones."

The tiny bundles of energy had no intentions of sitting still or even waiting on them to lock the door after they left the apartment and gnawed on everything within reach.

Gundham had no problem restraining the pups, yet Souda was struggling far more. The Untainted One tugged tirelessly on the leash, forcing him to keep a tight grip as to not drop it.   
After locking the door and leaving the apartment complex, the dogs quickly become even more excited and try to run in all manner of directions.   
Before Gundham can think about what he's doing, Souda's grip on his leash slips a bit, and he rushed forward with his free hand, grabbing onto Souda to keep him from pivoting forward.   
"Keep your grip steady and your aim true, lest the beast leaves you in the dust." He said sagely, acutely aware of Souda's body warmth beneath his hand. He wanted to let go, and yet he couldn't quite make himself.

"Yeah, sorry. I'll be more careful from now on." he apologized, making no efforts to let go of Gundham.

Gundham nodded, turning his focus to the other dogs and making sure they weren't making up a fuss. Then he remembered the...conundrum that was their now joint hands. Souda had moved so that, what had once been Gundham's steadying grip around his wrist had become a sort of perpetual handshake, with Souda's grip twined around his own. It felt...different from the Demon's harsh yanks and blows. More like The Angel's sweet caresses than anything, though not quite the same. He couldn't quite decide whether he liked it.

Gundham was at first hyperaware of every shift in Souda's grip, irrational fear keeping him waiting for when the gentle grip turned controlling and harsh, and the next brush of their sides to turn into a harsh blow.   
Eventually, he managed to relax, however, enjoying casual small talk with Souda as they made their way down the sidewalk and over to a sunny park. The dogs were elated at this development, running over to sniff and bark at every suspicious looking leaf and rock in the grass.  
It was a difficult task, walking five puppies. And holding your boyfriend's hand made it no easier but damn it is Souda wasn't gonna try his best.

"...so I'm standing there, BBQ sauce on my tiddies-" Souda babbled on, enjoying the crisp autumn air and the sunny weather as they walked, Gundham subconsciously leading them to the dog park.

Gundham found it pleasing enough to listen to Souda's disjointed ramblings. He liked the fact that he was not forced to participate in the conversation beyond nodding his head and humming occasionally, anyway.   
They ended up standing by a grove in the park, the dogs all occupied with barking at everything that moved, (including, but not limited to, each other, themselves and grass that was caught in too harsh a wind.)

Souda who'd grown quite attached to the white puppy followed our intently but sticking by Gundham's side as they tussle with each other. "Should we let them go? There are no other dogs here so far?" he asked.

Gundham surveyed the area, coming to a similar conclusion. "At least for a short time, as long as we can keep them in sight." He decided, crouching down and getting on with the task, easier said than done seeing as the animals were moving with 200% energy and speed.

Souda crouched down and helped out and the puppies sprinted off as far as they dared, which was like, 4 meters at max.   
The two say down on the lawn as they occasionally played with a puppy.   
"So.. This is nice," Souda said as a puppy bolted away to wrestle his sibling

"Yeah." Gundham agreed, a bit stiffly. He despised himself for not coming up with a better reply.  
"The intricate dance of the forces of nature has blessed us with warmth, safety, and prosperity." He rambled, turning his head so that he was gazing up at the sky, as if looking for the aforementioned "forces of nature."

"What?" Souda laughed. "Nevermind, hey, I've been meaning to ask- what are we?"

Gundham lowered his head, blinking at him in confusion. " Is the heat getting to you, Souda-san? We... You are a mortal of the species human. A very bright one at that. While I... My existence is too paradoxical to properly define, though if you wish you may refer to me as the spawn of a Demon and an Angel."

"No, I was more thinking, what are WE, as in us, are we- are we friends? Or more?" He asked, plucking strands of grass.

Gundham froze. It was a fair question, he supposed. After their first real encounter, the night thereafter, and this kind-of-date he realized he wasn't really sure.  
"I... Am not sure. What would you like us to be?"

"I- I'd like to be your boyfriend, but I want you to want it too," Souda confessed.

A shiver washed over Gundham, and his face scrunched up in displeasure.  
*Well if it hurts why don't you go cry to your boyfriend about it?! Fucking faggot!*  
His breath hitched as the Demon's words haunted him.  
"That's what we are? B-b-b" He couldn't even say it. That word carried too much weight. He couldn't have a boyfriend, the Demon thought they were wretched, disgusting things. Gundham didn't -think- he was wretched, but he didn't want to become it. He didn't want to risk the Demon's wrath.

"Not if you don't want to, we don't have to go out, we could remain as just friends!" Souda exclaimed, taking back his proposal at Gundham's reaction.

"M not... Wretched." Gundham mumbled in confirmation before he realized that he was majorly screwing up. When he'd been admiring Souda from afar none of this had been an issue. Now though. He was forced to face all the ways in which he'd screwed up. All the ways he'd disappointed. And- Moreover- he was probably making Souda confused.  
"I'm sorry." He said, panicked, and got to his feet. "I should- I should go. I'm sorry."

"Wait, no, what happened?" Souda asked heartbrokenly. Had he fucked up that bad? Maybe Gundham really didn't want to keep in contact.

"It's...Merely the whims of causality, orchestrating-" Gundham began, but his voice caught in his throat before he could complete the sentence. His chest burned and his voice came out weak and breathy. He took a panicked step away, angry and confused at himself for ruining the one good thing that had happened to him in a while.

"I'm sorry, I read too much into it and made you uncomfortable- I'll help you get the dogs back and then I'll leave, you don't have to compromise yourself for me." Souda apologized as his grip on the leash in his hand tightened.

He'd ruined everything. He'd upset Souda and completely destroyed what had been a fun outing together, all because Gundham was too pathetic to get ahold of himself. What was he even supposed to do?

Souda got up from the bench, heart thumping as a lump formed in his throat, c'mon don't be a crybaby. You basically forced yourself on him.  
He set off after a puppy and tried to call the white one back to him but it had no interest in him whatsoever.

Gundham managed to call the dogs to himself rather easily, though he could barely even focus as he leashed one of the brown pups. He needed to apologize to Souda, he couldn't let this end the same way as in the pet store. The problem was- his throat caught as soon as he considered the idea.   
When the fourth pup was leashed, only waiting for Souda to return with the white one, Gundham had calmed himself down and decided. He would apologize and hope Souda could forgive him for so thoroughly ruining the moment. He didn't want this to end in bad terms.

Eventually, the tears began quietly rolling down Souda's cheeks, a mix of sadness and frustration stirring inside him before the puppy finally came up to him and Souda managed to leash him and wipe his face before he got up to hand the leash over to Gundham.  
"I'm sorry about today, and for making you deal with all of me. If you don't wanna meet up anymore that's okay, I get it."

Gundham's face fell. Souda had been crying and it was his fault. "You have done nothing to warrant apologies." He said adamantly after Souda had finished. "It is I who acted rashly and- and- upset you due to something you had no control over. I- don't want you to grieve over my lack of self-control." He said, voice brimming with self-hatred.

"No- that's not-" How was Gundham supposed to even show Kazuichi that it hadn't been his fault? His mind raced, looking for a way to explain away his behavior and fix the situation. Gundham was good with words, had gotten both himself and Sonia out of slumps more than once with declarations of bravado and confidence, but right now he just felt like crawling into a hole and never coming out.  
"I'm sorry. Please- do not blame yourself. I do not blame you, Souda." He said defeatedly, ready to try everything to get Souda to understand. 

He gave a small nod. "Okay. Well, thanks for letting me meet the puppies. Sorry, I was too pushy." he apologized again and backed a bit before walking away, stomach sinking with every step he took.

Gundham clenched his hand, hating the way he flinched at the pain. A pathetic, useless body that couldn't even ward off the simplest of memories.  
His attention moved to the five pups by his feet, and he solemnly turned and began walking the same way he and Souda had taken before.

Gundham felt completely drained when he entered his apartment, mechanically unclasping the leashes on the puppies before practically collapsing on the couch. His chest hurt when he remembered how Souda had been lying on the floor beside him, laughing about the cute dogs, not two hours ago. His throat felt thick, and Gundham felt the familiar warm trickle of tears in his eyes. He didn't even have the energy to wipe his eyes.

Souda too had cried during his walk home, regret making him nauseous as he walked home and curled up under his blankets, not even bothering to turn on the lights of his apartment as he returned home, wishing he and his feelings could just disappear along with his shot with Gundham. 

Both boys ended up basically feeling miserable until a savior of their relationship entered the picture. Well, kind of.  
The Saviour's name was Sonia Nevermind, and she'd visited(broken into) Gundham's house because she'd heard that he would be puppy-sitting.  
Sonia had her own keys to the apartment so she walked right in about two hours after Souda and Gundham's leaving each other in the park, completely oblivious to Gundham's emotional woes.  
Said man had fallen asleep on the couch, emotionally drained and too tired to even make it to bed.

There are few things that can kill the joy of getting attacked by five fluffy puppies but seeing your friend passed out in emotional anguish is of them.  
Thankfully puppies tend to remedy sadness quite efficiently so after the puppies had calmed and barked what they had to at Sonia she scooped two up and walked in to find her friend. "Gundham?"

Gundham stirred at the sound of Sonia calling out, opening his eyes blearily. "D-dark Lady? What has called your presence?" He asked confusedly, bringing up a hand to rest on his pounding forehead.

"Puppies," she answered brightly walking over to the couch and sat down by Gundham's feet. "I sensed the beast's powerful aura and had to come to see them."

Gundham smiled weakly. "Naturally." He said, forcing himself to sit up and hoping his eyeliner hadn't been too messed up by his crying. "Please- feel free to handle the beasts. I know you are more than capable."

"I must say you are one elusive overlord. I didn't even notice that something troubled you until just now." Sonia praised. "Will you bestow the honor upon me to share with me your troubles?"

Gundham managed a smirk. "One such as myself has no need for petty troubles. I am as old as time itself, I would never stoop so low."

"Then will you indulge this mere mortal in sharing a story of your past?" she coaxed.

Gundham shrugged miserably. "I see no merit in burdening you with such a miserable tale, My Lady."

"You won't help me?" she pouted. "That's alright. I'll just play with your beats until you do." she hummed, cuddling the very sleepy puppy. "

Gundham leaned back as Sonia tickled the puppy's head, laughing with delight as it sleepily swatted her hand.  
"Do you recall the mortal I've spoken about previously? Kazuichi Souda."  
Gundham said eventually, sensing that Sonia wouldn't let the subject go.

"Mm yes, you spent a night with him, no?" she wondered, playing with the puppy's ears.

"I... Did. Yes." Gundham said apprehensively. "Well, demonic influence decreed that I ruin our outing in the most heinous way. He probably loathes me." His voice trembled.

"I doubt that. What happened?" she hummed, scooping up a passing puppy and handed it over to Gundham.

Gundham sighed. "I... He asked me something benign and I... I freaked out. I acted rashly, I scared him and I made him cry. He should hate me, it is his right."

"Well, what did he ask?" 

Gundham shrugged helplessly. "He... I suppose he wanted clarification on our relationship. Like I said--it's a perfectly reasonable concern."  
"He asked me whether-" He had to stop, swallow and tell himself that the word wasn't dangerous. He was an immortal deity for god's sake, no matter how hollow those words rang in that moment. "Whether I wanted to be his boyfriend. That's all." Gundham couldn't stop himself from quieting, on full alert as if the Demon could have possibly heard him even in his own apartment.

"Does this have anything to do with the demon?" She wondered and put the puppy down.

Gundham swallowed but nodded solemnly. He didn't want to elaborate, but he had an uncanny feeling that Sonia would figure it out regardless.

"I'm assuming Souda doesn't know about him. I might have a solution for you, but you must be willing to try it, ok?" she said and dug through her handbag.

"What do you propose?" Gundham asked, unconvinced. "Nevertheless I am unsure if anything can save the hopeless mess I've made."

Sonia quickly found what she was looking for and pulled out an amulet and showed it off to Gundham. "This is a fairly new item which I've come across. It comes from the Derinkuyu caves in Turkey. It protects against demons. Sadly I who am but a mere mortal tampered with it so while it still protects against demons they will still appear to be doing so. But it will protect you from any physical harm from demons," she said and hung it around Gundham's neck.   
"With this, you should be able to mend and explain to Souda if you wish to do so without any demonic influences." 

Gundham took the amulet gingerly, studying it in his palm. "Thank you, Sonia." He breathed, turning it one way and the other, watching the light play off its shell. "I can sense powerful protection magic, as well as potent healing power in this." He said after a beat of silence. It wasn't a complete lie- the amulet did make him feel better just by looking at it. It reminded him of Sonia.

"I wish you the best of luck with Kazuichi," Sonia hummed, picking up the puppy again. "Where did you acquire these beasts from?"

"They are from the adoption center of the esteemed breeders, the Naegi family. Mitsuko Naegi is good friends with the Angel. I've offered to watch over them until night falls." Gundham said, reaching over and scratching the pup in Sonia's lap behind the ears.  
"As for... The other matter. Dark Lady-, might you share some of your sage advice as to how I might rectify the situation?" He asked quietly.

"I know of two ways we can approach this matter. Either you decide to make him your consort- if so you must seduce him. Or you decide he shall be your loyal friend and if so you must make this clear to him. I advise you to think this through before you decide upon either." Sonia said.

Gundham nodded. He'd really enjoyed his time with Souda, but he didn't know if he was ready for something like that to happen regularly. He decided to put the thought aside for now. "Your advice is true, Dark Lady. I shall heed it and think it over well before deciding on a proper course of action."

"Send a raven upon your decision and I shall aid you however I can," she promised. "And remember the next time you encounter the demon- it can no longer hurt you, even if it may appear that way," she said and patted his leg. "Shall we dine?"

And so they did. As Sonia waved goodbye that night, Gundham found himself feeling a lot better about the whole situation. He hadn't figured out what to do yet, but he and Sonia had thought over a few different ways for apologies.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ladies and gentlemen welcome to plot!   
> Finally, am I right? 
> 
> Titus is in this chapter, so that should give you an idea of what you're in for, but more specifically the following warnings apply:  
> \- Emotional manipulation  
> \- Berating/Insulting/Belittling  
> -Gaslighting  
> -Some really objectifying and hella creepy monologue
> 
> If there are any warnings we missed, please don't hesitate to point it out in the comments!

Three days after Nagito's interview, Hajime got a call from Izuru. The date of the first preliminary hearing had been set to occur only two days from then, and she advised he prepare himself and Nagito.  
Nagito liked to think he took the news well, though one question was on his mind as Hajime finished explaining.  
"That means I'll have to see him again... Right?"

The question pierced his little bubble of "alright, this is going great, fast, maybe it'll be over soon, perhaps the Japanese justice system isn't that bad." and quickly plummeted back down to fuck.   
"Fuck." Was exactly what he said too. "You're right." 

Nagito shivered. "So it's true." He mumbled, staring down at his lap.  
They were both sitting on the sofa, Nagito pressed against Hajime's side comfortably. Before Hajime had gotten up to answer the phone Nagito had been in his lap, but now he was kind of glad they'd moved.  
" Well, I suppose it was inevitable, wasn't it?" He said after a beat of silence.

"I guess so... But as soon as this whole ordeal is over we'll never have to see him again." Hajime assured him. "It's going to be okay- he's not going to be able to do shit. "You're going to come out of this okay Komaeda."

"I hope you're right, Hajime," Nagito said, leaning his head against his shoulder. "It'll be fine."  
He didn't know if he was convincing Hajime--or himself.

"He'll get the punishment he deserves." Hajime murmured, their fingers intertwining as they sat together in silence and contemplated the news.

Two days later, Nagito was flanked by Hajime on one side and Izuru on the other as they entered the courthouse.  
He was dressed in a suit he'd borrowed from Hajime, a bit too big for him but Nagito didn't care. His mind was working overtime, eyes flitting around the corridor as he looked around. Well, really he was keeping an eye out for Titus, but he didn't want to admit that.  
He longed for the comfort of holding Hajime's hand, impossible though it was. At least he knew the other was right beside him.

"Deep breaths Komaeda, you've got this," Hajime murmured as they walked over to the prep room. "You're not in the wrong, he is, and he's going to pay for it." 

"Right- it'll be fine," Nagito told himself sternly. "I won't have to see him for very long."  
Izuru guided them into a plaintiffs lobby and sat both of them down. She went through basic court procedures with them both for a while, and then let them leave, sending the pair of them off to wait by the assigned courtroom as she left to take care of some paperwork.

"Hey, Komaeda?" Hajime asked quietly as they waited side by side.

Nagito turned to him. "Hm? Everything alright, Hinata-kun?"

"This is the first step. After this, you'll be one step closer to being free of him forever." Hajime smiled confidently and subtly took his hand. "Izuru's got this. And I'll be by your side no matter what."

"Right. Thank y-" Nagito began, but cut himself off mid-sentence. His ears, still on high alert, picked up the sound of footsteps and the unmistakable sound of Japanese spoken through an American accent.  
In hindsight, he supposed he should have known that Titus would eventually join them outside the courtroom. They were headed for the same place, after all.  
That didn't stop his heart from jumping up into his throat, and his stomach to churn with nausea though.

"Komaeda? Look at me, you don't have to look at him, you don't have to talk to him, just ignore him." Hajime said as he too noticed the man, carefully squeezing his hand.

Nagito turned his gaze to the floor. Hajime was subtly rubbing his hand with his thumb, Nagito's only anchor to keep him from slipping into full panic.  
He expected Titus to address him, throw some insults or demeaning words to try and get him unbalanced. The footsteps stopped though--and Nagito didn't hear anything. Titus must see him now, right? Why wasn't he doing anything?

"Komaeda, just look at me. Tell me, what's your favorite fruit?" Hajime asked, careful with his words to avoid all of the triggers they'd discovered.

Nagito swallowed, wrenching his gaze from the ground and meeting Hajime's worried expression. "Pears." He answered hesitantly. "The ones that are hard and crispy- the others are too sweet."

"What about apples? Do you like the red or green ones?" he kept asking, refusing to look at Titus who silently hovered over Nagito's back. God how he despised that man.

"Green, I suppose. I haven't really thought about it before, but those seem to be the most tart ones. I like red apples too, though." Nagito rambled, focusing completely on the question and trying to ignore everything else.

"Your favorite color is green, no? Then what about green grapes?" Hajime asked, thumb nonstop massaging Nagito's as he monitored his breath.  
He would do fight the man if he did anything to Nagito.

"Yeah, I suppose they're fine. Grapes can be a bit sweet though." Nagito said apologetically. "Though, Green ones are a lot better than red."

"What other green fruit are there? Kiwis, bananas if they're not ripe- I can't come up with any other. Can you?"  
He sounded like Dora the Explorer but damn it if it wasn't worth it.  
Then Titus had to ruin it all by coughing, still looming over Nagito, guards right behind him.

Nagito flinched so hard he almost made Hajime stumble, holding onto his hand for physical as much as emotional support. "S-sorry." He mumbled, bringing his free hand up to clutch his chest as if he were defending himself.

"It's okay, Komaeda, I don't mind," he said, giving a man glare to the man behind him. He was so damn close to just get up and fight him. But he wasn't going to do that. That would risk messing up it all.  
"Tell me about Ammy?" Hajime asked if Nagito instead.

"Um, what do you want to know, Hinata-kun? She's very soft and fluffy, and she's really nice and relaxing to pet. We haven't seen her or Nanami for a while though--maybe We could visit sometime soon?" Nagito suggested lamely, subconsciously moving closer to Hajime until they were practically standing on top of each other. He wanted nothing more than to hide--far far away to where Titus would never find him.

"Yeah, we should. I'll call her right after we're done here. I'm sure she's free." he hummed, happy to help.

"You got a dog, Nagito?"  
Titus spoke up with a cruelly sweet smile on his face.

Nagito shivered violently and it took a few seconds for him to regain enough breath to speak again. Was he supposed to answer? Ignore Titus? Maybe he was expected to strongly defy him, but Nagito knew he would never be able to do that.

"No. She's not mine." He whispered softly, unsure if Titus could even hear him talk. Maybe that was for the best either way.

"Heh, of course not. You don't need a dog do you?" he hummed, Hajime scowling at him.

"Just ignore him Komaeda, he had nothing to say to you." Hajime frowned.

"That's an awfully cruel thing to assume, don't you think? After all, he is /my/ boyfriend, aren't you, Nagito?" Titus said venomously. "Who I cared for, loved and satisfied. We were even talking about getting a dog together too, remember?"

Nagito clenched his fist. "We... I don't recall that." He whispered quietly, pressing a bit closer to Hajime and moving away from Titus. "I'm Sorry- I can't." He whispered to Hajime. No matter what he told himself, he couldn't bring himself to ignore Titus. Not completely.

"It's okay, Komaeda. You're doing great so far. Just tell me if you need to leave." Hajime said softly.

"I see you've found someone else. I'm really disappointed in you, but not surprised," he said with feigned hurt. "I forgive you though, yet you won't forgive me, even though I only ever did what you asked of me."

"I swear I will punch him if he doesn't shut up soon," Hajime growled.

"You went and found yourself such a violent new man, Komaeda."  
Titus told him in English.

"Hinata-kun... Please don't." Nagito pleaded. "Don't worry, I'm used to it." He reminded him carefully. "You shouldn't put yourself in jeopardy."

"That's the thing! You shouldn't be-" Hajime took a deep breath. "Let's just sit down and ignore him. You don't have to answer to anyone," he said, refusing to look at Titus. He just wanted to get a rise out of him.

"The cold shoulder again? Haven't you punished me enough already, my puppy? It was an accident, fair and square. Everything is forgiven yet you choose to torture me and then call me cruel?" Titus asked Komaeda, still in English.

Nagito's chest constricted at the nickname. He... Hadn't, right? It hadn't been an accident. Nagito thought he remembered...

Hajime tugged on his hand, pulling him along toward a bench on the opposite side of the room. Nagito's eyes didn't leave Titus, even as Hajime guided him to sit down and started to talk.

"Nagito, listen to me. He's just spouting lies." Hajime said. "Look at me? Tell me, do you like going to the beach?"

Nagito shrugged. "I'm not that much of a fan of water, to be frank. But I'd be happy to wait on dry land if you wanted to swim."  
He couldn't obey completely, his eyes seemingly locked at Titus' form only a few meters away.

"Is... Is that really true though? What if- what if it was an accident? I can't remember but what if he was only doing what I'd asked for. Are we really doing the right thing?" Nagito breathed, squirming uncomfortably. His tight fitted, dark suit felt like ropes, wound around his body and constricting his movements.

"Yeah, we are. It's not just the murder attempt we're going to court for. Do you really believe that tying you up was an accident? Banging your head- it wasn't an accident, Komaeda." Hajime said gingerly, carefully eying his body language. He'd gotten a bit better at it.  
"Let's take off your tie."

Nagito nodded stiffly, keeping his eyes locked on Titus and allowing Hajime to free him from some of the constrictions.  
"B-but I didn't want it, right? I don't think I did. Why would he be saying that in the first place?"   
Nagito wanted nothing more than to curl up and hide but knew that wouldn't do him any good. 

"Hinata-kun... Will we be alright?"

"Because he's a manipulative, lying little shit. That's why he's saying what he's saying. I'll be okay, I'm more worried about you. Is there anything else that's too tight?" Hajime asked, laying a hand on his shoulder.

"I... Everything?" Nagito answered uncertainly. "But I'm fine. Taking off the tie really helped."

"It's a stupid thing to wear anyway." he shrugged. "You could take off the suit too if you want. And hang it over your shoulders like a blanket instead."

Nagito smiled amusedly. "I don't think that would be very proper--Hinata-kun. Particularly not in a courtroom." Besides, the black was bad enough but wearing white made Nagito look so pale, he resembled a ghost.  
"As I said before, I'm doing fine." Titus was making an effort to not look over at them, though Nagito could still practically feel his unwelcome stare. It made his skin crawl, and he was reluctant to take off the jacket and reveal more of his skin.

"If you say so." Hajime hummed. "Do you know what sand dollars are?" he asked in another attempt to distract Nagito.

"I don't," Nagito confessed, hoping they'd be let in soon. "What are they?"

"They're little sea urchin. You can find their skeletons on beaches in the US." Hajime told him. "They look like little circles with cherry flowers on them," he explained.

Titus looked over to the two and made his way over to them, sitting down next to Nagito.

Nagito listened, intrigued and was just about to comment when Titus sat down on his other side. His heart jumped into his throat, and he clenched his fists but forced himself to respond to Hajime's explanation.  
"That sounds pretty. I see where it got its name." He said, voice trailing off to a whisper by the end as his throat closed with fear.

Hajime glared at Titus with pure hatred, still massaging the other's hands. "I don't think we have them here in Japan though," he said, having trouble keeping the hostility out of his voice.

"Planning to go abroad are we?" Titus hummed. "You know the tickets I booked for us to Thailand are being wasted right now because of this whole ordeal. But it's okay. You're forgiven. I still love you."

Nagito felt sick. He was Forgiven, huh?  
"Sorry." He mumbled quietly, as much for Hajime's sake as for Titus'. It was clear that the situation was affecting him as well, but while Hajime was doing his best to calm him down, Nagito wasn't able to do anything but tremble pathetically in fear.

"No, he's not apologizing. He has nothing to apologize for." Hajime snapped at Titus, breaking resolve.

"Right, it's you I should blame for stealing my boyfriend, isn't it? I can't blame him though, going after such a cute man." Titus said, making sure to press Nagito's weak points as he spoke.

Nagito felt Hajime's grip tighten around his hand, pulling him closer as he spoke up. Titus' words made Nagito feel sick, the same kind of nausea as back in the apartment when Titus had mentioned Hajime. His fear only intensified when he realized how much Titus' words affected Hajime.

"Don't." He said, aimed towards Hajime. "Don't put yourself in danger."  
He didn't know what Titus was capable of if he decided to focus on Hajime instead, but he didn't like The thought. Better to keep Titus focused on breaking Him. Nagito could handle it.  
Swallowing his nausea, Nagito glanced at Titus quickly. "It's not like that. We aren't." He said quietly, praying that the admission would distract Titus.

"Right, because clinging to a man is completely platonic." Titus smiled. "Totally not whorish behavior. I'm just glad you didn't give me any stds." he sneered in English.  
"But I'm glad he at least appears to like it- being used by you I mean."

"Hold on, here," Hajime said, remembering he had headphones in his pocket.

Nagito opened his mouth to refute but realized that Titus had a point. He was practically clinging to Hajime, and while the other seemed not to mind, Nagito didn't know what he was thinking.

There was always the chance that Hajime was just putting up with him.  
"It's not like that." He repeated insistently in English, stuttering a bit on the t's since it was a while since he'd spoken. "I would never.."

"Just ignore him. Here, I've got some songs downloaded," he said and plugged them into his phone and handed the headphones to Komaeda

Nagito accepted the headphones, plugging them into his ears gratefully as Hajime put on a playlist. It didn't really save him since he was still acutely aware of Titus watching both of them with an amused smirk from his other side, but he tried his best to relax and listen, leaving the rest to Hajime.

Titus gave Hajime an annoyed look. "Hey- I could never get away with romantic stuff like sharing music with him. You must be more than just cute, "Hinata-kun.""

"Gee, I wonder why." Hajime snapped sourly and turned his head away from Titus to ignore him.

"Oh so cold," Titus said dejectedly. "Is it due to him that you have such a negative impression of me?" 

Nodding toward Nagito, Titus moved his body so that his arm was pressed against the wall, facing Hajime and Nagito, who's squeezed his eyes shut and was failing adorably at keeping his breathing level.  
"Come on, won't you give me an honest chance? Maybe you're wrong, you know."

"Hey my lawyer did some digging on you guys, you know. The prosecutor, that Kamukura-lady, she's your sister right? Did she put you guys up to this?" Titus asked, under the guise of casual small talk.  
"You know, it's going to be difficult to prove anything what with him being," He threw a pitying glance at Nagito, "the way he is. He's always been scared of his own shadow, no matter how much I reassured him. Guess that's to be expected when you've led such a dramatic life. Still- I think you guys should give this up. Drop the charges and let him leave in peace without suffering through this whole ordeal. Wouldn't that be the good thing to do, Hinata-kun?" 

"It'd be even crueler to leave you unpunished for your crimes." Hajime snarled, breaking his own promise to himself.

"My alleged crimes." Titus corrected sweetly. "Hasn't your attorney sister taught you anything? I'm guilty unless you and my boyfriend somehow manage to prove something that is completely false." 

"Right. Either way, go trip over a knife," he said, trying oh so hard to not flip him off.

"You're threatening me?" Titus said, raising an eyebrow. "You know, since we're already here I could sue you for that. Particularly since we're already involved in a legal dispute."

At this point, Nagito seemed to have almost dozed off. Titus had been warned not to lay a finger on him by his attorney, and he seemed unlikely to get any other cute responses at the moment, so he decided to turn his full attention on the cute brunette instead.  
Getting up, he moved over to the other side of the bench, leaning against the wall and leering down at Hajime, who sent him such an adorably menacing glare. Man Titus was enjoying breaking him- almost as much as Nagito.

"No, why would I threaten you? It was merely a suggestion of things you could do instead of talking to people who obviously do not want to talk to you. It would do the world much more good too." Hajime said with a venomous smile.

"Hm, good one," Titus admitted. God- that had been hot. "I see why Nagito took a liking to you. I think your crazy tendencies compliment each other quite nicely. However, just like he did, I think you'll need some lessons in obedience before you're ready to live in the normal world. You see- suggestion or not, the fact withstands that you threatened me with bodily harm. Isn't that right, cutie?"

"Oh but I didn't, now did I? I just gave you instructions. Isn't everything said here recorded as well? I can prove it to you." Hajime offered with a furious glare. "Now please leave us alone."

Titus sighed. "You're no fun, Hinata-kun. Can't you wake my boyfriend? He's way more enjoyable to play with."   
He leaned against the wall casually, whilst in reality burning with hatred directed towards Hajime. The brat had the audacity to threaten and insult him- and just shrug off all of his advances like it was nothing.   
God- How Titus wished they were anywhere but a courtroom right now. He'd show Hajime Hinata exactly what such a confrontational and abrasive attitude got you.   
He was practically asking for it after all- and Titus' life had been far too stressful since Nagito had run away.

"No, leave us alone." he frowned, seriously considering filing a restraining order against the man.  
Just don't say anything incriminating, Hajime. Anywhere but here.

"Right, see that's what I mean. You're no fun at all. Makes all that beauty go to waste, you see what I mean?" Titus said, fingers itching to bring Hajime down from the high-horse he'd deluded himself into believing he was on. Really? What was the point of a hot guy if he couldn't be goaded? 

"I'm not trying to be funny with you. I'm trying to get you to leave us alone." he snapped and closed his eyes halfway, still keeping an eye on Komaeda and leaned back against the wall.

Titus groaned, leaning back against the wall with his hands in his pockets. There was one more chance he had of stopping this ridiculous procedure before he lost a lot of money on his attorney, but it would need Nagito to get his crazy ass back to earth and obey like a good puppy. 

Well- that shouldn't be too difficult to arrange.

He pushed himself off the wall, crouching down in front of Nagito and pulling his headphones right out of his ears before Hajime could do anything.

"Nagito- baby what have I told you about not listening when someone's speaking to you? Hm?"   
He asked sweetly, leaning forward a bit until he was close enough to practically smell the fear of his puppy's skin. He still hadn't even opened his eyes.  
Not too difficult indeed. Nagito was already conditioned brilliantly, and Titus doubted he'd disobey.

"Hey! Get back from him!" Hajime snarled and got up from his seat and called for the guards.

Nagito's heart stopped and he pressed his eyes together and tensed up, clenching Hajime's hand and he threw back his head and pressed himself back against the wall.

Two bailiffs rushed over at Hajime's call, but by that point Titus had already fallen back from his crouching position, supporting himself on his elbows. "Hey man- chill. I wasn't doing anything-" He said, making his voice lighter and adding a bit more American accent for good measure.  
He turned his gaze to meet Hajime's lying on the ground in front of him as the bailiffs arrived, looking incredibly confused.  
"Hey, what's the disturbance?" One asked in exasperation, arms crossed over his breast.  
"It's nothing, sir," Titus said easily, giving Hajime a wary look.   
"This gentleman and I were just having a bit of a disagreement, but I assure you I am fine. No harm was done, so let's just forget about it huh?" He clasped Hajime's shoulder in a friendly gesture. 

"Back off! Just- get the hell away from Komaeda!" he exclaimed, snatching back his headphones from Titus and gave them back to Komaeda with such gentle movements the contrast was almost comical.

Titus lowered his hand sheepishly, turning to the bailiffs with a shrug. "He's a bit emotional, I'm afraid. I think accidentally offended him before- you see I'm American so I'm not very well versed in Japanese culture. I didn't realize I'd gotten a bit too close to this gentleman's boyfriend, and he pushed me away. I'm terribly sorry Hinata-san. I truly didn't mean to offend."  
The bailiffs eyed Hajime uncertainly, seemingly debating whether to detain him or not. 

Hajime just glared at him and sat back down next to Nagito. God if the trial would just start already.

"Well. If you cause one more disturbance we'll have no choice but to detain you." One of the bailiffs said curtly, giving Hajime and Nagito a sideways glance. 

"That won't be necessary," Titus said, barely able to contain his glee. He'd both gotten his puppy back, and made Hajime look suspicious to boot!  
"We wouldn't want to waste you gentlemen's time over something this benign. You are forgiven, Hinata-san." 

"Piss off," he muttered under his breath.

The bailiffs left, muttering complaints under their breaths. When they'd turned a corner, Titus took his place beside Nagito again, leaning back and sighing. "You'd better be more careful in the future, Hinata-kun. Being hot won't get you out of trouble with the law, you know." 

He turned his attention back to Nagito, who had frozen with his headphones still in hand. 

"And you, baby. Are you going to listen to me now?"  
Like a good pet, Nagito's head whipped around when he was spoken to. Had Titus been anywhere else, he would have pet his head as a reward.

"Piss off, Miller." Hajime snarled, clenching the armrest hard.

Titus winced. "While I can't say I blame you, I wonder if this guy is really good for you, Nagito. He seems a bit too much of a handful, all angry and snarling like that. It reminds me a bit of you when you were younger, actually."

Titus thought back on the year or so when Nagito turned 17 where he'd been wonderfully defiant, snapping at every turn and giving him so much material to train him with. It doesn't give him quite the same level of satisfaction to train his puppy now that he's mellowed down, though it can still be enjoyable with some creativity, as he's proven to himself prior.

Nagito's throat went dry as the memories of hands on his arms, chest and blows to his head and stomach reminded him exactly where he belonged. He averted his eyes from Titus' whispering quietly. "Stop it- please. I don't want to remember."

"Come on, let's go get a bit of fresh air." Hajime offered and stood up, earning a suspicious glance from the guards/bailiffs

Nagito didn't get up. His legs were too weak, and he was terrified of what might happen if he turned his back to Titus. He wanted to tell Hajime to come back, but his voice wouldn't work.   
"Come on Nagito, follow your new owner. Haven't I taught you better than this?" Titus taunted in English, confident he had Nagito under control again. 

"Ignore him," Hajime said. "Are you okay, Komaeda?" he asked softly.  
Hajime crouched down in front of him, putting his hand on his knee carefully.

Nagito shook his head slowly. He was most definitely not okay.

"Maybe you want to stay here with me, hm?" Titus jumped on the chance immediately, subtly moving his leg so that he ended up a bit closer to Nagito and in front or Hajime

"Come on, I've already said I forgive you, right? Come home with me, and we'll forget all about this. I love you, Nagito. I just want you away from this violent guy and home where you're safe. How does that sound?" He didn't even bother with English anymore. Nagito was thoroughly under his spell at that point, and Titus doubted Hajime could snap him out of it if he wanted to.

"I've really missed you, you know." Titus continued, moving his hand a bit closer this time. "The apartment is really empty without you, and you know I can't cook as well as you. Come on, Nagito. Let's go home."

"Excuse me, could we please sit separately from the accused? He's terrorizing the plaintiff?" Hajime urged. "Why would you even allow this in the first place? Are you trying to ruin this case?" he asked the bailiffs, using more advanced language and more court words than I know because he went to law school and I haven't.

"Hinata-san is absolutely correct. I'd suggest you move away from my client before I incentivize the judge to hold you in contempt of court."

Nagito had never before been so glad to hear Izuru Kamukura's voice. Titus muttered something about her being a "damn bitch" and the look he gave Nagito was enough to get his heart to stop, but he did get up and move away.  
"I'm terribly sorry Kamukura-san, I wasn't aware I was doing anything wrong. I've simply really missed my boyfriend, and I wanted all the time I could have with him before this drama ruined our relationship beyond repair."   
He said remorsefully, moving across the room after making his apology. Izuru stood by Hajime and Nagito, studying them both.  
"Komaeda, Hajime, are you two alright?" 

"No- I'm so stupid and I let my emotions get ahead of myself," Hajime said defeated, more worried about Komaeda at the moment.

Nagito tried to still his trembling shoulders, blinking furiously as tears of relief gathered in his eyes. "I- I'm fine. I'm fine." He mumbled, repeating the phrase over and over. He didn't want to distract Izuru or Hajime from what was important- the hearing.

Hajime laid his head in Komaeda's lap, looking up at him as he reached up to stroke his tears away. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you better than that, Nagito-san."

"I'm fine," Nagito repeated distractedly, grabbing ahold of Hajime's hand on his cheek and pressing it closer. With his free hand, he tugged on Hajime's arm until he raised his head, the arrangement feeling too much like a power imbalance. 

"I'm fine. It's not your fault." He whispered again, carefully. He felt Titus' gaze on him with every moment, but for the time being Hajime felt more real. "I'm fine. And...I liked it better when you said my name without the honorific, Hajime."

"Nagito or Komaeda?" he hummed, smiling up at him.

"Both," Nagito said, shrugging. "Neither- if you prefer."   
The pressure over his chest had lessened to an extent, and Nagito felt much better, no longer on the verge of a panic attack.   
"Come on- get up from there." He said insistently, pulling Hajime the rest of the way up until he was standing on his knees in front of him, almost eye to eye.

"See? We handled that. We got through it. Just like we're gonna get through this trial." Hajime hummed. "You've got this, Nagito," he said, stroking away a tear with his thumb.

"Yeah," Nagito said slowly. "See, that was much better, Hajime." He raised his gaze to meet Izuru, who had been studying them with a small smile.  
"I assume it's about to start?" He said, trying and failing to keep the fear out of his voice.

Hajime bent back and looked up at his sister and gave her a pleading look of "just one more minute, please?"

Izuru caught the look, turning away and picking up her phone, giving them some sense of privacy.  
"I'm fine, Hajime. I'm alright now." He insisted despite the opposite clearly being true. "I just need a moment to...get up."   
His legs still wouldn't work. 

"It's okay please take your time," he said softly. "Do you want a hug?"

Nagito wanted to say yes, but he was honestly afraid of the repercussions of someone saw them, in a public space, being so affectionate. He didn't want Hajime's reputation ruined because of his own weakness.

"Someone might see." He said simply. "We shouldn't risk it."  
He did really want the safety and calm from Hajime's hugs though. 

"It's okay," Hajime assured him. "Right, Izuru? It's just a hug. Join us and it'll look even less suspicious." he said, stroking a stray strand of hair behind his ear.

Izuru cleared her throat awkwardly. "I can't say that would be proper, Hajime. Although, you two should be fine." She crossed her arms over her chest stubbornly.

Nagito relented with a soft sigh. "Alright. Then yes, please." He let go of the hand still holding Hajime's to his cheek, letting his arms fall down awkwardly.

Hajime gently enveloped Nagito into a warm hug, closing his eyes as he softly played with his hair and caressed his back.

"You've got this Nagito. We've got this."

"How can you be sure? Titus has a point, doesn't he? Maybe I should just go back home, accept my punishment and get out of your lives. You're putting so much on the line for me, and it's not fair of me not to give anything back."

"What would you even be punished for?" Hajime wondered.

Nagito chuckled darkly. "Running away? Spending time with you? The indictment? Why don't you take your pick, Hajime." He shivered despite the warmth, pressing himself closer still to Hajime's warm body.   
"Being this close to you is probably the first point on the list though." He mumbled.

"And why should you be punished for that? You're your own person. You shouldn't be punished for making your own decisions." Hajime murmured and ran his hand through his hair.

Nagito shrugged. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." He said. How did one explain how everything good in their life was wrenched away, one miserable piece after another.  
"I'm not punished for making decisions, Hajime. I'm punished for existing, and having the audacity to believe that I might find happiness."

"You shouldn't be though. That's why we're doing this. Remember?"

"Right," Nagito said, unconvinced. A glance over Hajime's shoulder told Nagito that Titus' attorney, a rather bored looking older man, walked past them and headed for the courtroom.  
He supposed there was no more putting it off.

Gently, Nagito untangled himself from Hajime's hold and leaned back, stilling his shaking shoulders. "This will be fine, right? We're going to be alright, and we'll head straight home afterward, right?" 

"Yeah, it will. It's going to be okay. It's going to be tough but we'll be okay." he mumbled. "And we'll go straight home afterward. Straight home and wrap us up in blankets with hot tea, cuddles and maybe put on Bambi."

Nagito chuckled. "Isn't that a kids movie?" He pushed himself to his feet, still holding Hajime's hands. 

"I'm fine now." He said, despite nervousness and the uncanny feeling of Titus' eyes studying them from afar. Still- it rang truer now than before.

"Are you dissing Bambi just because it's a kids movie? I'll tell you there's not a better movie than Bambi when it comes to consolation." Hajime huffed playfully and let up the hug.

"I wouldn't dare criticize your choice, Hajime," Nagito said, managing to speak without his voice trembling.   
"I'm sure it's great, even if it is a kids movie. And I look forward to it."

Izuru cleared her throat again, bringing both men back to the reality that she'd been awkwardly standing by their hug-out the entire time.

"Komaeda-san, if you feel your condition has improved, I think we should head in."  
Gesturing to the now open doors to the courtroom, Izuru crossed her arms.

"You've got this! We've prepared for this, you'll do great." Hajime assured him and let go of him completely before they trailed inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Next time it's time for the preliminary hearing. Hopefully you won't have to wait as long for that, but exam season is coming up so you never know I suppose...


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, it's been a while, huh?
> 
> Truthfully, these last couple of month's have been hectic for the both of us, so hence why the updates kind of mellowed out. We've decided to tentatively begin updating again, at least during the summer since school is still, unfortunately, going to have to take top priority. Still, a huge thank you to everyone who has commented and left kudos during this "hiatus" period, of sorts. I promise you each and every one of your comments have been read and discussed between us with great delight and seeing how many people are invested in this story always makes our day. 
> 
> Thank you to everybody, we hope this story will continue to live up to the expectations of the readers who're still around.
> 
> On another note, this chapter we'll be delving into the preliminary hearing for Nagito's case, properly. This means that all of the warnings that have previously been issued applies here too. Though they're not being recalled in any great detail they are brought up as evidence. Please be safe guys, if any previous warnings have seemed triggering or upsetting for you, or if you're not comfortable with anything, it is okay to skip this chapter or drop the fic altogether. Your comfort and safety is most important to both of us. 
> 
> (Just to remind us, those warnings include but are not limited to, mentions of sexual assault, rape, and statutory rape as well as brief descriptions from the victim and others about these things. Homophobia, verbal abuse, gaslighting and victim-blaming.)
> 
> That being said, those of you who do decide to read the chapter, we hope you enjoy it!
> 
> (Alsoneitherofushaveanyideawhatwe'rereallydoingwithallofthelegalstuffdon'tworryaboutitok?)

Once inside, Izuru walked with Nagito to their designated bench, while Hajime was guided to a spot near the witness stand by a bailiff. Opposite him and Izuru, Nagito saw Titus and his attorney. The look Titus was giving him was so forlorn and loving, it made Nagito want to throw up.

Hajime sat down, fidgeting with his hands out of nervousness but held a stoic expression on his face. He had to stay strong. For Nagito's sake.

Once silence over the room, Nagito wrenched his gaze from Titus and looked around the room. They weren't in a fully-fledged courtroom, lacking both a gallery and a judge's bench. Everything was also closer than in a courtroom, with less space between the benches and the judge's seat.  
Speaking of- the judge gently banged her gavel, getting everyone's attention.  
"I hereby declare the preliminary hearing for the trial of Titus Miller in session." She said formally.

After both sides had presented their opening statements, Izuru arguing that Nagito had been a victim of a crime, while the opposing team argued that the night had been a consensual act of passion and had simply gone overboard.   
Nagito's mouth tasted sourly as Titus' attorney finished his statement.

Then things turned worse. Nagito's testimony, which he'd given at the police station was played throughout the hall, and Nagito was called on the stand to be cross-examined.  
Izuru had explained this beforehand but he was still nervous. Answer the questions truthfully, don't give away extra information and don't answer leading questions. Most importantly, you are able to ask for a break. That was the gist of it.

Nagito got up to the stand, legs shaking as he walked up to the witness stand and took a seat, pulling nervously at the sleeves of Hajime's suit.

Titus' attorney, a man named Daiki, got himself ready for cross-examination, looking through the transcript of Nagito's initial testimony. This guy didn't look like he'd be very difficult to break.  
"Komaeda-san, please confirm for this court that your testimony was 100% true and nothing but the truth." The judge said.

"Yes, it was," he said, throat closing upon him and he cleared it. "Yes, it was true."

"You testified that you first met Titus Miller when you were in middle school, around one year after he'd moved to Japan. Could you confirm this for the court, Komaeda?"   
Titus smirked as Nagito jolted at the mention of his name.

"Yes- I was in middle school." he nodded. "Fourteen." he reminded himself, answering shortly and shakily. Titus's gaze felt like being drenched in cold slime. Possibly acid. 

"Hmm." Titus' attorney nodded. "Your guardian during that time was state-appointed, correct?" He rifled through some papers. "Surely- if this is true- there would be some record. He was after all handing in reports on your well being. If you truly were in a relationship that you did not want- shouldn't there be some kind of proof?" 

"He was my tutor-" Komaeda stuttered out, looking panicked over to Izuru and Hajime for a hint.

"Right." Titus' attorney, who for the record was named Daiki, thank you very much, said. "There are records of that. Mr Miller worked three afternoons in the week at Komaeda-san's middle school, tutoring English. But surely that's not proof enough to insinuate that he was in a relationship? Or are you, Komaeda-san, insinuating that all tutors in japan are guilty of statutory rape?"

"No, I-" he stuttered out. 

"I'm not saying that all teachers- Titus- I-" he began shaking. "There was one time when that girl caught us in the library-" he looked over to Titus to get some sort of confirmation that he wasn't misremembering.   
"She saw us and then everyone knew and they wrote on my desk and left lilies and- Titus was-

Izuru paled. Nagito hadn't mentioned anything like that before.

"In any case. The defense is not aiming to indict the accused of statutory rape at this time. As you-" She gave Daiki a stare- "Should be able to read in the indictment, among all of those papers you're holding. We are indicting Titus Miller- the defendant, on charges of rape, illicit drugging and attempted homicide of the first degree. I suggest you keep your questions relevant to the subject, attorney Daiki." 

Daiki nodded, sending Izuru a glare. Still- the witness was visibly shaken by this point. "Tell me- Komaeda-san. Do you stand by what you said in the testimony, about the sexual activities that you and Miller got up to being non-consensual?"

"...Yes," he said, terrified of being lynched. 

"Okay." Daiki said. "Tell me- Komaeda. Did you try to fight this supposed assault? From your testimony I gather you were in the middle of a street, is that correct? Weren't there people around? Didn't you have plenty of opportunities to scream for help?" 

"Did you do anything to signal that you did not want it?"

"I didn't want to go- I didn't I didn't want him to hurt me!" Nagito exclaimed, heart pounding in his chest. "I didn't want it to hurt more."

"Yes, so you've said," Daiki drawled. "But did you voice this in any way, shape or form? Tell me- Komaeda-san, how was your partner supposed to know how you felt if you didn't even insinuate that you didn't want it?" 

"I said no..." he said in a tiny voice, shrinking back in his seat, pulling at his hair to hide. 

Izuru butted in to the conversation. "Attorney Daiki, is this lead of questioning going anywhere? You are badgering the witness."   
The judge nodded in agreement.

"Of course I am. If I could present testimony to counter that of the defendant, my client has a radically different view of the situation. I'd like to call him to testify," Daiki said, gesturing to Titus who sat up straight in his chair.

"How was I supposed to know you didn't want it? You know our safewords. With the kind of plays we used to engage in you chanted no a lot and when I stopped you just got angry and yelled at me that you didn't want me to stop and that if I should've stopped you would've used a safeword." Titus said as soon as he got to speak in a gentle yet accusatory voice. 

"Right," Daiki said. "Attorney Kamukura- do you have any evidence, beyond a witness, to prove that Komaeda-san rescinded consent?" 

Izuru gave Nagito a desperate look.  
"That's not- I didn't-" Nagito said desperately, hugging himself across the chest.

"Your Honour." Izuru interrupted. "The injuries that my client sustained went far beyond what would ever be included in consensual play. As you can see by his medical records-" Izuru gestured to the evidence display where the document had been filed,   
"-This cannot possibly be explained away by Komaeda-san acting irresponsibly."

"But it can. You have no idea what this guy's into. It's actually really messed up." Titus said with a weirded out grin and a shudder. 

"Mr. Miller. I'd like it if you refrained from slandering my client." Izuru said immediately. The judge nodded in agreement and Izuru turned her attention back to Daiki.

"In any case- the injuries in combination with my client's testimony should be well enough probable cause. I would like to further determine the power imbalance between Komaeda-san and Miller-san in their relationship by calling Hinata Hajime to testify. He is a barista who witnessed the pair while on a shift."

"Am I done?" Nagito asked, not letting relief wash over him just yet.

"Yes, you may step down for now," Izuru said, heartwarming at Nagito's grateful look.   
"Hinata-san. Would you please testify to this court about what you witnessed about their relationship? More specifically, Mr. Miller's actions?" Izuru said, a bit more confidently. She'd like to see Daiki try to break her brother.  
Emphasis on try.

"Yes." He said and got up from his seat and brushed off his suit and took his seat by the witness stand. Alright, here we go. Let's do this just like back in law school. 

"When they came in Komaeda-san looked just like a beaten dog. Miller had him crawling at the slightest action. He verbally berated Komaeda-san and insulted him continuously" Hajime said with a stiff poker face.   
"On top of that Miller had complete economical control over Komaeda-san's funds" 

Daiki raised his eyebrows. "You remember it vividly, for something that happened months ago. Do you pay this close attention to all of your customers, Hinata-san?"

"No, I remember this particularly due to the nature of their relationship as this was the first instance we had to act upon our company's policy to help the possible victim in a situation of domestic violence. What contributed to us acting was Komaeda-sans visible bruises, the obvious power imbalance between the two and Miller's aggressive behaviors towards Komaeda-san. On top of that, my boss analyzed the tape to make sure that we acted according to protocol." Hajime said coolly. 

"Right." Daiki nodded. "Would you say that you are qualified to make judgments regarding other people's relationships, Hinata-san? Do you have a background in psychology, perhaps?"

"I have taken courses on the subject, yes," Hajime said promptly, disliking the attorney more and more despite knowing he was just doing his job. 

"Right. You dropped out of law school, correct?" Daiki said. "We have the papers here. Couldn't quite live up to your sister's reputation, hm?"   
Izuru interjected. "Your honor, this line of questioning is irrelevant."

Hajime bit his lip to not snap back at that. He didn't need to insult the attorney on the stand. 

"In any case." Daiki continued. "I still haven't seen the opposing defense present a single piece of evidence, other than questionable at best witness testimony. They can't prove intent with nothing but the flimsy eye witness account, which may I add occurred a month ago, of a college drop-out, can they?"

"At least I dropped out instead of got kicked out because the principal found out I had a criminal record in another country:" Hajime spat sourly, breaking his resolve.

"And, by the way, I can back my testimony up with CCTV-records currently in police custody," Hajime added. "Both from the first instance we acted upon as well as from when Komaeda-san came drugged and raped to the cafe seeking help." 

Daiki made a distasteful expression at his harsh wording.   
"Just as the witness says, the defense will present both the recordings as well as a written excerpt of a testimony given by "Souda Kazuichi-san," another barista at the café," Izuru said.   
"With this in consideration, I think it's preposterous to deny that there is probable cause here."

Hajime cast a glance towards Nagito to check on him, worried about how this would shake him.

Daiki sent Izuru an annoyed look, having lost most of his leverage in one fell swoop. He needed a way of discrediting this witness-  
"According to your own testimony, you stayed with Komaeda-san at the hospital after the ambulance ride, is this correct? How would you describe his behavior at that point?" 

"Unconscious?" Hajime said with a raised eyebrow, voice full of exasperation.

Daiki held back an annoyed sigh. "After he regained consciousness. I'd like to know why you, a complete stranger, decided to stay with him at the hospital."

"Because he was terrified and asked me to," Hajime said with a little huff. 

"Right. Nagito is afraid of hospitals." Titus said somberly. "He has been ever since he was young, unfortunately. Even when our play turned particularly rough, I could never persuade him to get his injuries checked. That's why it's so strange that he voluntarily went with you, Hinata-san."  
Daiki nodded.  
"Indeed. Because he did go voluntarily, didn't he?"

"Yes, he did. We called the ambulance together while he was still lucid. Maybe the reason he was terrified of hospitals was that you'd conditioned him to believe it?" Hajime snapped at Titus. The man really knew how to make his blood boil. 

"Hinata-san. Please don't throw unruly accusations." Izuru interjected.   
"However, this has been confirmed by the 112-call, and by the nurse who took care of him as well. She reported no signs of compulsion. Your Honour, this is going nowhere."

Daiki held up a hand to stop her.   
"I simply think it's a bit strange, is all. Komaeda-san has allegedly been in an abusive relationship and subjected to violations for 8 years, yet not a single person can give testimony about it except for Hinata-san and people he knows. Furthermore- it's not until he came into contact with Hinata-san that Komaeda-san ran away from his boyfriend and gave these accusations. It's also the first time in 8 years that he's entered the hospital, bruised and bloody. I find this more than a little suspicious, wouldn't you agree Your Honour?"

"What? You understand why, right?" Hajime exclaimed, growing angrier by the minute. "He's been- I can't-" Hajime shut up. Better not cause more damage right after he'd been scolded by Izuru. 

"Hinata-san, do you currently have a girlfriend?" Daiki said, holding up a hand to stop Izuru's objections. "I assure you, I am just making certain. After all- there would be no reason to worry in that case, right?" 

"How is this question related to the accusations against Miller?" Hajime asked Daiki, bunching up his pants in his fists. 

"I'd simply like to ascertain whether you are...suitable for taking care of someone like Komaeda-san. We wouldn't want him to be manipulated by anyone, particularly when his testimony is so crucial to the case. But if you'd rather remain silent then that is your right, of course." Daiki said.

Hajime looked over to Izuru for instructions. Should he answer the question? Or would it be better to answer and have his words twisted? There was nothing illegal about being single, was there?

"Attorney Daiki- are you accusing my witness of anything?" Izuru said loudly, placing her pen down on the table a bit harder than necessary. Nagito, who was sitting beside her, jumped from the noise. 

"All I'm saying is that it would be hasty to indict my client when there are clearly other viable suspects," Daiki said. "He has no obligation to answer me."

"Damn right he doesn't. My witness has nothing but highly circumstantial connections to the case, which is why we haven't investigated him any further." Izuru said coldly.  
"Are you sure that's the only reason, Attorney Kamukura?" 

It was the judge who broke the argument up, slamming her gavel and ordering silence. "If you two to not calm yourselves, I will hold you in contempt of court!" She said forcefully, staring down both Daiki and Izuru.

Hajime rubbed his face. He'd just wanted a yes or a no if he should say anything and took a deep breath. Why were there defense attorneys?

"Hinata-san, you definitely don't need to answer that," Izuru said sharply. "Now- unless the defense has further need for cross-examination, I'd like for this hearing to reach its swift conclusion. Attorney Daiki has badgered both of my witnesses enough for today."

"Then we hereby end the cross-examination. I need time to deliberate what evidence has been presented here today." the judge said, banging her gavel and Hajime stepped down from the witness stand and headed back to his seat to wait for Nagito and Izuru to join him and head elsewhere. 

They ended up in a plaintiffs lobby this time, thankfully separated from Titus and his attorney. Izuru put her things down gingerly, sitting down and leaning her head in her hands.  
Hajime sat down beside her, and Nagito hovered by the sofa awkwardly.

"I'm sorry. I probably screwed it up." Nagito said softly, hating himself for not keeping it together better. "I'm sorry I made both of you go through all of this for nothing."

"If anyone screwed up it was Hajime," Izuru said, comforting Nagito. "And he didn't do anything beyond repair."

"Thanks," Hajime muttered, Izuru's comment adding to the already pretty massive pile of self-loathing hanging over him.   
"Well- at least the judge seemed to be on our side. Come on- there's nothing we can do but wait for now. At least we don't have to be anywhere near that douchebag and his legal team." He said, voice hardening at the mention of Titus. 

"Could we maybe get something to eat?" Nagito asked the siblings. He was nervous, shaky and nauseous and he needed a distraction from the bitter taste in his mouth.

"Sure- yeah. I'll see if there's anything nearby." Hajime offered. "Sit down meanwhile, there's plenty of space on the couch." 

Nagito obeyed quickly, regret pummeling his head into his knees as he went over how weak he was when it came to Titus. He'd barely looked at him and he turned into a trembling mess.

Izuru was incredibly out of her element. She had no idea where to even begin with the "comforting thing" But she could tell by Nagito's body language that he needed it. Definitely. Why did Hajime leave her with this?  
Awkwardly, she cleared her throat. "You did as well as could be expected, Komaeda. Hajime also performed well. All in all, there was nothing that either of you could have done to singlehandedly win the case. That's my job." She smiled ruefully.

"I'm so useless... I was a mess as soon as I heard him- I couldn't think about anything else, everything Hajime has done just went out the window," he said shakily, trying not to cry.

"It would be unfair of me to assume you wouldn't be affected." Izuru pointed out.  
"I would have preferred you not be called up at all, but it was inevitable. You did as well as could be expected, Komaeda." She repeated, uncertainly.

"Do- um, I don't normally do this but... You seem to enjoy physical contact with my brother so I thought... Maybe, if it would help, feel free to. You know. Hold my hand or something to that effect."  
She looked away, mortified.

"Yes, please... Hajime said it's something that 'grounds' me? It helps me stay out of my head if you don't mind." he mumbled into his knees letting a hand hang awkwardly from his side.  
"You don't have to if you don't want to."

Izuru grabbed onto it uncertainly. It wasn't that strange, back when she'd dated Yasuke she'd did more intimate things. It was weird though, mainly, what was she supposed to do now? She couldn't just hold it, could she?  
Izuru had seen Hajime do a thing with his thumb before, so she tried that, awkwardly rubbing Nagito's hand.  
"Did... Did this help?"

"A bit," Nagito mumbled, now more focused on how stiff the situation was. It was different than Hajime's touch but it was still comforting, in a sweet way, almost like how he'd imagine having a little sister, trying her best. It helped though as his mind became distracted from Titus.

"I apologize," Izuru said forlornly. "I am not very good at this. I'm sure you'll calm down quicker when Hajime comes back."

"No, thank you, it helps." he murmured, happy for the contact.

Izuru nodded, taking her other hand and cradling Nagito's in both of hers. "Let me know if there's anything else that can help." She said gently.  
Izuru wished she had Hajime's talent for reassuring words. All she managed was to sit quietly, holding Nagito's hand in between her own and rubbing it soothingly.

Nagito gave a nod but settled for holding her hand until Hajime came back with low-quality hot chocolate and three swiss rolls on a paper plate.

Hajime came back to quite the sight.  
His emotionally distant older sister, holding Nagito's hands and looking incredibly uncomfortable. Hajime almost wanted to stop and take a picture for blackmail material, but ultimately decided not to ruin the moment.  
"Is there room for me too?" He asked, setting down his tray of courtroom bought food on a nearby table. "They shouldn't be as good as mine." He said, holding up a roll, "But I hope they're still satisfactory."

Nagito nodded into his knees before peeping up, still holding on to Izuru's hand.

Hajime smiled at the sight, pushing away his guilt and self-hatred. There were more important things to worry about.  
"Here. Eat up." He said, taking a seat on the other side of Nagito and handing him one of the rolls.

He unfurled his other hand and happily took the swiss roll and bit down, the chewing forcing him out of his little self-destructive bubble.

Hajime took one for himself, biting into it and wincing at the thick texture. "Would have needed more butter. A bit less cocoa too." He commented, licking his lips.  
Then he let his hand fall back onto his lap. "For what it's worth--I'm sorry. I know I really screwed things up in there."

"It's okay. I'm sorry I dragged you into my mess." Nagito apologized, enjoying the pastry despite Hajime's critique.

"Don't apologize for that," Hajime said quickly. "And- it's not okay. I'm a law student for christ's sake! I should know better." He sighed miserably.

"You're thinking too much Hajime." Izuru admonished. "Like I told Komaeda before, you both performed as expected. Nothing either of you did would have singlehandedly won us the case. You did fine."

"I just hope this goes okay." Hajime murmured and leaned onto Nagito's shoulder.

Nagito nodded in agreement, leaning his head on Hajime's in return. "I'm so sorry you have to go through all of this for my sake. And I couldn't even testify properly--I couldn't help it. As soon as he looked at me I just froze up." His voice became thick with tears.

"I wished I could've just wrapped you up and made him disappear for good." Hajime murmured and offered him a hug.

Nagito chuckled tearily. "Not even you could do something like that." He mumbled, wrapping his free hand around Hajime and pulling Izuru awkwardly along as well.  
She made to let go of his hand, but Nagito tightened his grip so, in the end, she ended up half on the couch, pressed against Nagito's back with one arm around his shoulders as he leaned his weight on Hajime.

Hajime smiled widely and enveloped Izuru into the hug properly, cuddling up against them both. "No matter what we'll get out of this okay," Hajime promised mostly Nagito.

Nagito blinked away tears of frustration and exhaustion, holding on tightly to both his legal representative and his friend.

"Indeed we will. I'm not giving up yet." Izuru affirmed, feeling uncharacteristically fragile sharing contact with both Nagito and Hajime.

"Thank you. Thank you so much." Nagito mumbled into Hajime's shoulder.

"Wanna watch animal planet?" Hajime asked as the hug broke up and he took the now drinkable got chocolate, kicked off his shoes and pulled up his legs on the couch.

Nagito, who had ended up leaning against Hajime's side with Izuru's hand clutched in his own, nodded drowsily. "Sure." He mumbled, snuggling further into Hajime's side as the other got comfortable.

"How much longer do you think we'll be here?" Hajime asked Izuru as he reached for the remote to the little TV across the room.

Izuru glanced at her watch. "Usually the judge deliberates for about 1-1.5 hours. I'd guess it's 30-50 more minutes before he reaches a conclusion." Nagito shivered. 30 measly minutes before quite possibly the most important decision if his life was announced.  
"Can we go home after?" He asked weakly. Whatever happened, he wanted at least one more quiet evening with Hajime before Titus took him back and the possibility disappeared forever.

"Of course." he hummed, laying an arm around his shoulders, even though he'd already asked that before. "We'll go home immediately and cuddle up with blankets on the couch and cuddle and have drinkable tea."

Nagito nodded. "That sounds good. I want to get as far away from here as possible." He let his eyes fall shut, nuzzling Hajime's shoulder as the other found and pressed play on Animal Planet. Nagito watched drowsily, his own hand wrapping around Hajime.

"Take this opportunity to rest." Hajime murmured softly, smiling down affectionately at the drowsy boy and looked up to Izuru with a warm smile.

Izuru met his gaze with an unreadable expression, reaching over to rub his back with her free hand. "You too, Hajime. There's nothing we can do but wait now." She pointed out.

He gave a small, appreciative nod before he closed his eyes and leaned on Nagito again. And a few fun facts about penguins later he was fast asleep.

When Hajime shook Nagito awake, 30 minutes later, the hot chocolate was ice cold. "The bailiff announced that the verdict would be given in 5 minutes," Izuru said simply, packing some of the papers she'd been reading down into a bag. Nagito rubbed his eyes, immediately on high alert. Five more minutes and his fate would be decided.

Hajime got up and stretched with a yawn, smiling down at Komaeda and offered a hand up. "This is going to be okay."

Nagito took it gingerly. Whatever happened he'd get one more quiet evening with Hajime--he reminded himself. He'd have to make do with that.  
Izuru led the way as they entered the courtroom, Nagito still holding tightly onto Hajime's hand though they had to let go since Hajime wasn't allowed at the prosecutor's bench.  
He avoided Titus' gaze from across the room, squirming under the attention. He could practically feel the other's anger.

Hajime crossed his fingers, sitting as close to Komaeda as possible as he anticipated the judge's verdict.

Izuru offered her hand again under the table to the nervous Nagito.

The sound of the gavel reverberated throughout the room and pushed the air right out of his lungs. The judge began speaking formally, and Nagito hinged on every word.   
"This court finds the case of State versus Miller to be..."

Nagito let out a breathless, pained whimper shut his eyes.

"Fit for trial." The judge continued, and when Nagito opened his eyes again the first thing he saw was Titus giving him the most malicious look he'd ever seen.  
But then Izuru rubbed his shoulder and Hajime was beaming at him from his place on the stand. 

That's when it sunk in, and Nagito allowed himself to smile as well.

Hajime felt ecstatic like he couldn't contain it. It felt like someone had opened a bottle of coke and put in some mentors in his chest and he had to keep it down. He wanted to run up to Nagito, jump up and down and Hugh him, maybe do a dramatic drop kiss because they did it! The fucker was going to rot in hell and Komaeda would finally be able to pursue peace of mind.

He didn't do any of that though, waiting until they were outside the courtroom to run up to Nagito and squeeze him in a bear hug.  
"We did it! Izu-chan you did it!"

Izuru smiled. "We've still only gotten past the preliminary hearing. The burden of proof will be far higher and more difficult to meet at the actual trial. Don't celebrate too soon, Hajime." Inwards her chest was warm though. Hajime hadn't called her "Izu-chan" since he was 10.

Nagito's eyes were tearing up with joy, and his arms wrapped around Hajime were trembling. He didn't answer, scared his agreement would devolve into sobs before he had the chance, but nodded furiously into the crook of Hajime's neck.

"We got through this though, it's a huge step in the right direction!" Hajime grinned, spinning Nagito 360° before burying his face in his neck before pulling in Izuru in the hug as well.

Izuru, unused to hugging, awkwardly pet his back with one hand. "I suppose you're right." She said, giving up and enjoying the hug.  
Nagito giggled tearily, stumbling when he was let back down onto the ground. "Yeah- we did it."

"Let's go home?" Hajime asked, stroking Nagito's head.

"No objections here," Nagito said happily. Izuru carefully untangled herself from the hug.  
"I have some paperwork I need to attend to, regarding another case. I will leave you two to celebrate." She said, excusing herself from the situation. As much as it pleased her to be included and see Hajime so happy, she had just about reached her limit of physical contact for the day and felt too energized to waste time when she could be working

"Good luck Izuru." Hajime smiled, still on a high from the joy.  
"Would you like stopping by the store to buy something to celebrate?"

"If you want to," Nagito said non-committingly. He really just wanted to get home as quickly as possible, get far far away from the courthouse and forget all about Titus' hurtful words and hateful, piercing gaze. "I don't care, as long as we get away from here." He said truthfully.

"Then we'll head straight home," Hajime said and buttoned his lower button off his suit. "Let's go?"

Nagito nodded, following Hajime Izuru walked them both outside and gave them a ride home. When Nagito got out of the backseat, he glanced back to see Hajime and Izuru shake hands, not unlike how they'd first met. There was more warmth behind it now though, and Nagito couldn't help hoping he'd played some part in that. 

Wouldn't that be fantastic? He'd finally have been useful.


End file.
